Growth Club
1851 Growth Club
Breakout Brands of 2015
Here are our picks for the top businesses that are shaking up the industry and redefining the world of franchise.
What great ideas are on the horizon for 2016? The search for the next big franchise concept is always on. Consumers, investors and franchisees alike are always looking out for a new brand poised to take the industry by storm. Here are our picks for the top businesses that are shaking up the industry and redefining the world of franchise.
Since its inception in 1995, Best in Class, a supplemental education franchise, has stood as a leader in progressive, tailored curriculum and individualized assessment. This commitment to quality has allowed the supplemental education brand to get a jumpstart on expansion in 2015—to date, they have nearly 29 locations. The brand also posted a system-wide revenue increase of 30 percent from 2014. The immense growth can be attributed to the company’s new franchise incentive for teachers who have dedicated their lives to education.
Chicken Salad Chick, founded in 2008 by husband and wife team Kevin and Stacy Brown, features 15 types of chicken salad. The chain now has 29 units in six states in the South and Southeast. Chicken Salad Chick’s breakout factor is being fueled by its retro and comfort food niche and innovative takes on one signature dish.
Maintaining a respect for Italian pizza tradition while embracing regionally-sourced ingredients has fueled Your Pie’s success since the beginning. Since 2008, the brand has been serving up 10-inch personal pizzas in front of customers who have their choice of eight sauces, 40 toppings and eight cheeses. Your Pie has enjoyed rapid growth over the years, due in large part to their decision to make delicious craft beer pairings a trademark of their brand.
This year, Frisch’s Restaurants, a chain famous for its signature Big Boy burgers, announced that it would add more restaurants in a bid to court a younger crowd. After private equity firm NRD Capital took over the Cincinnati-based company for $175 million, its new owners expanded the franchise into Tennessee, adding to the 121 outlets in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Other plans for the chain include a “Frisch’s Big Boy 2.0” blueprint that will target youth, with shareable plates of Buffalo wings and chili cheese fries.
Ritter’s Frozen Custard has been dishing up custard, Italian ice, sundaes, shakes, smoothies, cakes and pies since 1990. This year, the 25-year-old company decided to expand its comfort food empire by signing a deal for 10 Ritter’s locations in North Texas.
Imagine a Ritz-Carlton, but for your dogs. K-9 Resorts, a New Jersey-based luxury day care and boarding facility for dogs, opened an 8,400-square-foot, nearly-60-room hotel in Philadelphia this year—its first out-of-state location after 10 years of operation. This particular location boasts an indoor heated swimming pool for dogs, which is also a first for the company. K-9 Resorts, which specializes in cage-free boarding, outfits their rooms with flat-screen TVs, luxury beds, art work and other amenities.
Building off the brand’s success in 2014, Maid Right is focused on steady growth this year as it expands in key markets such as Chicago, Washington D.C., the tristate area of New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Tampa and Miami. The two-year-old company already has 111 locations in the United States and Canada. With superior product innovations and the strongest customer guarantee in the residential-cleaning segment, Maid Right provides an attractive investment opportunity for potential franchisees.
Mosquito Joe, a leading mosquito control treatment company serving residential and commercial customers nationwide, wrapped up the third quarter of 2015 with record-breaking results—the brand celebrated a 100 percent increase from 2014, more than doubling their size from a year ago to 95 unique franchisees open with over 210 territories sold. The brand is also projected to have 200 territories in operation by the end of 2016.
GYMGUYZ, the coaches who come to you in bright-red vans with all the equipment you need to get a great workout, are committed to finding exercise routines that fit each client’s needs and goals. Their dedication is paying off—this year, the company introduced 38 new franchises, and next year, they plan to add 50 to 70 more locations. Ultimately, GYMGUYZ aims to spread their passion for health and wellness around the globe.
The seven-unit Rusty Taco started in 2010, serving up street-style tacos in a renovated gas station in Dallas. Last year, Buffalo Wild Wings bought a majority stake in the brand, and now Rusty Taco is planning to expand. The restaurant’s casual, fresh and authentic approach to tacos sets the concept apart.
*This brand is a paid partner of 1851 Franchise. For more information on paid partnerships please click here.
