10 Emerging Brands to Watch

From pizza to massages and auto care to chicken wings, these 10 emerging franchise brands are gaining momentum and spreading their gospel to new consumers. Find out why these brands are ones to watch.

Toppers Pizza*
When you order Toppers Pizza, you can be sure you won’t get anything made by “The Man.” The Whitewater, Wisconsin-based pizza company is making waves in the industry by appealing to younger consumers with their irreverent marketing efforts and push to be a unique pizza experience. Toppers Pizza offers late night delivery to consumers, and a variety of pizzas with wild and delicious topping combinations.

Honest-1 Auto Care
Honest-1 Auto Care does just that: care. The Scottsdale, Arizona-based franchise is the nation’s only ESA-certified eco-friendly auto care chain. The brand stands out with its strategy of targeting millennials and woman with their transparency in communication of the repair process and eco-friendly practices. This is targeting an underrepresented group in auto care. With the appeal of millennials and the push to be more eco-friendly, this is definitely a brand to keep an eye on.

CKO Kickboxing
Fitness franchises are a major trend for 2015, according to Entrepreneur Magazine. While large gyms are still popular, smaller concepts like CKO Kickboxing are making a name for themselves in the industry. Fitness kickboxing can burn up to 1,200 calories during a one-hour class, and with results like this, CKO has found a way to engage customers. CKO has a group of dedicated fans and is often recognized in national fitness magazines for its program.

Chicken Salad Chick
Chicken Salad Chick is reinventing the way we think about chicken salad. The franchise brand is taking a simple, homespun concept and making it available to its consumers. The brand offers a variety of 15 chicken salads at a time, as well as soups, salads and baked desserts. It’s a new, un-tapped market that is bringing the taste of home to consumers in the southeast.

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes*
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes is making waves in the better-burger category. The Plano, Texas-based restaurant chain serves fully customizable and fully loaded burgers. The chain was founded in 2007 and features made-to-order burgers, hand cut French fries and real ice cream shakes. The brand allows for total customization by letting customers choose from nine veggies and 12 sauces. The better burger is popular, and MOOYAH plans on utilizing their variety of ingredients and quality to take a large share of the market.

Best in Class Education Center
Entrepreneur named children’s enrichment one of the top franchise concepts for 2015. One of the top emerging franchises in this category is Best in Class Education Centers. The education franchise helps students from kindergarten to high school move to the top of their class. In a time when the economy is bouncing back, more and more parents are investing in their child’s future. This is a time when education franchises are flourishing.

Buffalo Wings & Rings
At Buffalo Wings & Rings, everyone is a VIP. The Ohio-based brand is elevating the fan experience at their locations by providing customers with bright, inviting dining rooms, over 50 TVs, chef-inspired recipes and their signature wing sauce. The 30-year-old brand focuses on freshness and flavor, providing every guest with a great experience. Buffalo Wings & Rings offers franchisees the simplicity of a fast-casual restaurant with the engagement and revenue of casual dining.

Zoup! Fresh Soup Company
When you want soup, think Zoup! Fresh Soup Company. That’s if you want made-to-order soup or soup and spice mixes. Zoup! started off in grocery stores, and built its franchise off the brand name it developed (not to mention by having really good soup). The brand offers 12 always-rotating daily varieties of soup. Their selection includes low-fat, vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free and spicy soups. In addition to soups, the brand serves made-to-order salads and sandwiches.

Freebirds World Burrito
If you think about Lynard Skynard when you think Freebirds World Burrito, you’re not wrong. The band was the inspiration behind the brand name. But the Austin-based franchise is much more than that. Freebirds was created in 1987 and since its inception, it’s aimed to provide customers with an appetizing offering featuring lots of options. Freebirds has grown its rock music-inspired locations to cover a large portion of the Western U.S.

The Woodhouse Day Spa
The global spa industry is a $61.4 billion market, and The Woodhouse Day Spa is getting in on the action. The brand’s approach to affordable luxury provides guests with a relaxing environment along with spa services.