Start a Pet Wants Franchise in 2025

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $138K - $219K

Units as of 2024: 134 7.2% over 3 years

Pet Wants Franchise

Now more than ever, pet parents want to purchase the best food for their furry friends.

Whether their pets have dietary restrictions or not, many pet owners won’t settle for anything but the best and are always looking for new pet food brands that offer additional choices and quality foods for canines, cats and more.

If this is also important to you, you might consider starting a Pet Wants franchise. Doing so could combine your passion for pets with your desire to run your own business.

Let’s take a closer look at what it takes to successfully start and run a Pet Wants franchise of your very own.

Why should you start a Pet Wants franchise?

Michele Hobbs founded Pet Wants in 2010 primarily because she was frustrated with not finding the right pet food for her dog when they were sick.

To solve this pet nutrition problem, she created her own dog food and a company to sell it, launching Pet Wants into the upper echelon of the pet food industry.

Since the company was founded, Pet Wants has expanded massively. It began franchising in 2015 and now has several hundred retail stores throughout the US.

There are lots of good reasons why you might want to start a Pet Wants franchise of your own, including:

The chance to provide high-quality and nutritious Pet Wants food to customers. If you are passionate about pet health, either because you did or currently do have a pet, this could be a great business to build.
Pet Wants allows franchisees to choose a brick-and-mortar or online business model depending on their preferences. Therefore, this is one of the most flexible and manageable businesses to start as a franchisee.
Pet Wants gives you access to premium lines of other pet products besides food. Each product is from a curated vendor, enabling you to generate additional revenue and further enrich the lives of pets and pet parents.

There are two types of Pet Wants franchise locations you can build, both of which provide custom-made pet foods without animal by-products or fillers:

A mobile Pet Wants business. With the mobile business, you will deliver and ship premium dog and cat food straight to pet owners’ homes. As a franchisee, this gives you unparalleled flexibility since you can base your business anywhere in the United States.
A retail or brick-and-mortar Pet Wants business. You can alternatively opt for a permanent retail location while still offering delivery and shipping services to customers. But you may also open up your business to additional revenue, as customers can visit your store in person.

Customers love the fresh pet food they can get from these pet stores.

Pet Wants franchise owners can take advantage of this business opportunity in one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets for a low total investment. The pet food franchise industry is ultimately a great business to run from a home office.

Given these benefits, starting a Pet Wants franchise could be great for pet lovers and would-be business owners of all stripes.

Does Pet Wants offer territory exclusivity?

Yes. Unlike other franchisors, Pet Wants provides territory exclusivity to each franchisee. Specifically, you get an exclusive territory that is delineated by postal codes.

When you start a franchise with Pet Wants, you’ll get a map of all the territory approved by your franchisor, plus a list of the postal codes to which you can ship your products.

Generally, your base initial franchise fee will qualify you for a population of up to 100,000. You’ll have to pay another $500 for all or part of every extra 1000 people you sell to over the 100,000 limit.

This is a great deal, especially if you are concerned with competition. It’s entirely possible to run a Pet Wants mobile location from your home to an exclusive territory with a minimum set-up time on your part.

What support resources does Pet Wants offer franchisees?

Each Pet Wants franchisee will benefit from a wide range of support resources and initiatives on behalf of their corporate sponsors. These start with attending meetings and conventions, which allow you to boost and broaden your social network.

Pet Wants also gives business owners access to a toll-free support line, newsletter, security and safety procedure guidelines and support.

Store managers also receive grand opening support. That'll help you make the most of the first few days and weeks after opening a retail Pet Wants location, should you choose to build your business with this model.

To ensure you choose the right spot, Pet Wants provides additional lease negotiation and site selection support; that way, you’ll be sure to select an excellent retail location for your brick-and-mortar business.

No matter which business model you choose, Pet Wants will provide lots of marketing support.

This includes co-op advertising support, national and social media advising, regional advertising support and email marketing support. Regional advertising will help you draw people in your local territory to your Pet Wants business.

Then, once you have some customers, you can use the corporate loyalty program and app. This is a great way to get customers to return to your brand repeatedly by allowing them to build up loyalty points and special perks, which give them access to discounts and free shipping.

You can use Pet Wants’s ad templates to make advertisements for your target audience without making those ads from scratch.

How much does a Pet Wants franchise cost?

Before starting a Pet Wants franchise, you’ll want to know how much it will cost you in the long run.

To start, you must pay an initial franchise fee of $42,500, plus an initial investment of anywhere between $70,000 and $200,000, depending on your chosen location. Pet Wants requires new franchisees to have at least $50,000 in cash to cover all these fees.

When your Pet Wants location is up and running, you’ll have to pay a royalty fee of 7% plus an ad royalty fee of 2%. Each term of agreement lasts for 10 years and is renewable.

Overall, these costs aren’t the most expensive in the franchising world. Then there are financial aid opportunities to consider.

Does Pet Wants provide financial assistance?

Yes. Pet Wants provides connections to third-party financing sources. These sources allow you to get financing deals to cover your franchise fee, equipment and inventory costs.

Furthermore, Pet Wants provides a $2000 discount on the franchise fee for all veterans. Therefore, this could be a great franchise business for veterans looking to become entrepreneurs.

Even without financial assistance, however, starting a Pet Wants franchise doesn’t cost nearly as much as some other business types. With some loans, many business owners can afford these start-up costs.

What training is required for your Pet Wants franchise?

The Pet Wants team provides intense training modules for all new business owners to ensure you successfully run your Pet Wants franchise.

This includes 36 hours of on-the-job training plus 40 hours of classroom training. The initial classroom training takes place at the corporate headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it is mandatory for all new franchisees.

You have to begin the training program within three months of signing the franchise agreement if you plan to be responsible for the general management of your business.

Then, employees other than the general manager must also complete the initial training program. However, franchisees don’t have to take refresher courses or other training programs after completing this initial module.

All in all, the training requirements are not too excessive or intense. They provide the tools you need to run your Pet Wants franchise store well, especially if you don’t have business management experience yet.

Start a Pet Wants franchise today

With a Pet Wants franchise, you’ll be a business owner and a provider of quality pet food simultaneously. Consider starting a Pet Wants franchise today.

Check out Entrepreneur’s other articles for more information about Pet Wants and other franchise opportunities.

Company Overview

About Pet Wants

Industry	Pets
Related Categories	Pet Stores
Founded	2010
Parent Company	Strategic Franchising
Leadership	DeNita Carani, President
Corporate Address	4755 Lake Forest Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45242
Social	Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2015 (10 years)
# of employees at HQ	14
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
# of Units	134 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Pet Wants franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$48,500
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$137,850 - $219,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$50,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	10% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	7%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	2%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Pet Wants has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	8+ hours
Classroom Training	40 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	Yes
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	2
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes