Pet Supplies Plus Gets the Most Out of America's Pet Mania

The U.S. has gone pet-crazy, and Pet Supplies Plus is the one to benefit. The pet supply chain and its dog-washing concept Wag N' Wash have been growing fast lately.

By mid-2024, Pet Supplies Plus opened 16 new stores and sold 23 franchise deals, reaching 730 locations in 43 states. The company plans to open at least 45 more stores and sell 70 franchise units by year's end.

"We were focused on growing Pet Supplies Plus's footprint and bringing Wag N' Wash to new markets,”, said Nick Russo, chief development and stores officer of Pet Supplies Plus Group. “We continue to receive high interest in both franchise opportunities, especially from existing franchisees."

The numbers support Russo's positive outlook. The American Pet Products Association says 66% of U.S. homes have pets (86.9 million households), with dogs being the most common pets (75% of households own a dog), followed by cats and freshwater fish. In 2022, Americans spent $136.8 billion on their pets, 11% more than in 2021.

This pet-friendly trend caught the food industry as well. Restaurantji recently found that 7.2% of restaurants in cities with 300 or more eateries let customers bring their pets. In San Diego, 30% of restaurants welcome dogs, while in Austin, San Francisco, and Portland, 20% do the same.

Pet Supplies Plus is living its best life right now. Not only did they take the top spot for pet franchises in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list (ranking 21st overall), but also did earn a place on Forbes 'Best Customer Service list.