With an estimated 170 million dogs and cats in over 100 million households in the U.S., it’s no surprise that the pet industry has become a lucrative market.
And with most dog and cat owners today considering themselves loving “pet parents”, the demand for high quality pet food in a $22 billion-dollar industry shows no signs of slowing down.
It was two such pet parents, Michele Hobbs and Amanda Broughton, who founded the all-natural pet food delivery business. They started the business in 2010, when they noticed some serious health issues with their pets and realized that the nationally recognized pet food brand they had been feeding their pets was not only filled with processed ingredients and by-products, but it had already lost most of its nutritional value from sitting for months in warehouses and on store shelves.
They decided there had to be a better way to feed their four-legged family members and started producing their own pet food using only the freshest, highest quality ingredients available. When they noticed the health of their pets was improving, they knew they were onto something.
“Fresh. Local. Delivered.” became the brand’s motto and guiding principle, with the business focused on making it easy for pet parents to provide the freshest, top-quality food for their dogs and cats by having it conveniently delivered right to their doors on a subscription basis.
The Fresh Advantage
The strong focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients is the brand’s key to staying ahead of the pack in the industry. Pet Wants food is slow-cooked in small batches on a monthly basis to ensure freshness and lock in nutrients.
Pet Wants president, Bernie Brozek, explained how most pet food retailers carry food that is several months old and, in some cases, can even be as old as 2 to 3 years past production.
“It’s our company rule that food older than 90 days can’t be sold and must be given away to local shelters or rescue societies,” said Brozek.
This strong focus on freshness not only makes the food taste great, but also ensures the highest levels of nutrition for its four-legged customers.
Testimonials
With its superior nutritional profile and convenient delivery model, it didn’t take long for customer testimonials to start flooding in after the business went into operation. Not only were pets enjoying the fresh taste of Pet Wants food, but the improved absorption of key nutrients also had happy pet parents noticing health improvements in their pets.
“It’s fresh, nutritional food that’s gluten-free, grain-free, and with no fillers. A lot of dogs have itchy skin and other skin conditions because they’re not absorbing enough nutrients from food that’s been sitting on shelves for months…The stories we continue to hear from our customers show the benefits of getting the right, top quality nutrition into their systems.”
Brozek shared his own story of when he took care of his neighbor’s Australian Golden Retriever for a month after the owner had a stroke. He fed him Pet Wants Chicken and Rice dog food while in his care.
When he returned the dog to its owner after 30 days, his neighbor asked him what he had done to his dog because his skin and coat looked so healthy. The dog had been suffering from a serious skin condition and was on prednisone, a prescription medication that had cost the owner $200 a month.
After switching him to Pet Wants food, the dog’s skin condition improved and he was taken off the medication. His owner is now a loyal Pet Wants customer.
The Franchise Model
The brand recently started franchising in August 2015, but has already had 40 franchisees jump on board with locations across the U.S.
As a mobile delivery model with low start-up and overhead costs plus recurring monthly revenue, Pet Wants offers an accessible way for interested business owners to get involved in the pet industry.
Offering two flexible franchise models – mobile delivery or a retail store and delivery model – the brand also helps maximize earnings with multiple revenue streams that include dog food, cat food, treats, salves and other related pet products.
Full training and support is available for Pet Wants franchisees, with four weeks of remote training over the phone and a full week of intensive training at the corporate headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. Franchisees are also supported with ongoing training once a week if needed with a franchise consultant.
Must Love Dogs
Most Pet Wants franchisees come from sales and business management backgrounds, but Brozek explained that the thing they all share in common is a love of pets.
“We get a lot of interest from franchisees who are business oriented, and having those skills is important. But, what’s key is that our franchisees love their dogs and cats.”
International Expansion
Brozek said the Pet Wants franchise model is also showing strong interest internationally, with recent interest coming in from Ireland and even as far out as Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
“I’ve been involved in franchising for 30 years,” explained Brozek. “But this one blows me away. We’re just getting so much interest from all over. I’m shocked at how busy we are.”
Full Steam Ahead
Poised for international expansion and aggressive growth across the U.S., the business is also looking to expand its product line over the next year.
Brozek is excited by the rapid growth of the franchise and said it’s a great time to jump on board for anyone looking to get involved in the thriving pet industry.
“It’s a wonderful little company, I just love it,” stated Brozek. “This is sitting right with me, because everybody loves their pets, and everybody is on the bandwagon to deliver fresh, high quality food. So this veteran franchise guy is just delighted at how it’s working out.”
For more information on joining the Pet Wants franchise, visit www.petwantsfranchise.com
Article written by Diana Cikes, Franchising USA