The Top Six Retail Pet Store Franchises to Invest in 2022

When the COVID-19 pandemic first started and more people began to spend time indoors to quarantine, the pet industry saw a huge spike in adoptions to combat loneliness and boredom. This rapid growth in pet ownership has made pet retail franchises a strong investment for 2022. 

According to LifeScienceLeader, 11.38 million U.S. households have gotten a new pet during the pandemic, with the main market driver being that 75% of pet owners said spending time with their pets helped reduce stress and improved mental health during COVID-19. As people have spent more time with their pets, they’ve also become more aware of their pet’s well-being and took more trips to the pet store.  

The American Pet Product Association found that Americans spent close to $100 billion on their pets in 2020, a growth of 4.3% from 2019 and a record-breaking milestone that shows the industry’s strong resiliency in a pandemic. Another important finding was that, even in a tough economy, people don’t cut costs on their beloved furry friends: less than 20% of pet owners had plans to switch brands of pet foods or supplies despite difficult financial circumstances.  

Today, the global pet care market is worth $190 billion, with the U.S. being the largest segment. Researchers from the American Pet Product Association expect the global market to grow by an average of nearly 5% annually from 2019-2025. 

Check out these retail pet franchises ready to meet the booming demand for pet supplies: 

Hounds Town, Inc. 

Founder of Hounds Town, Inc. Michael S. Gould began his 35 years of working with pets by forming the first-ever K9 Unit for the NYPD. In 2019, their AUV was $893,531- A 236% sales to investment ratio. To learn more about a franchise opportunity with Hounds Town, Inc. click here. 

Nature's Pet Market 

Franchising since 2008, Nature’s Pet Market has become one of the largest franchise retailers of natural, organic, and raw pet foods. Pet owners have responded, helping the franchisegrow nearly double  from 24 stores in 2013 to 47 locations today. To learn more about a franchise opportunity with Nature’s Pet Market, click here. 

Petland 

Operating since 1967, Petland has grown to 235 international locations across the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Chile and Israel. The franchise’s 46 years of experience allows it to provide fast-paced, hands-on in-store and management training, with 2 weeks of training for owners and staff at your location before launch. To learn more about a franchise opportunity with Petland, click here. 

Pet Supplies Plus 

Franchising since 1989, Pet Supplies Plus has seen rapid growth accelerate the business to 460 locations today. In 2021, Pet Supplies Plus ranked first in its category in Entrepeneur’s Franchise 500 rankig. 

To learn more about a franchise opportunity with Pet Supplies Plus, click here. 

Pet Wants 

Founded in 2010 and franchising since 2015, Pet Wants has spread to more than 100 locations across 27 states. The franchise attribute its success to the growing demand of pet owners for its product line of premium, fresh pet food produced without animal by-products or non-nutritious fillers. To learn more about a franchise opportunity with Pet Wants, click here. 

Wag N' Wash Natural Pet Food & Grooming 

Wag N’ Wash prides itself on its strong relationships with manufacturers and suppliers, which makes its business model so effective. The franchise’s annual store sales average is $1.5 million, with 57% of franchisees meeting or surpassing this average. To learn more about a franchise opportunity with Wag N' Wash Natural Pet Food & Grooming, click here.