How this Pet Wants Franchisee Left the Corporate World, Followed her Entrepreneurial Dreams

Pet Wants, the only national provider of pet food freshly delivered to customers, has become a household name for pet owners and franchise professionals across the U.S. The brand is growing rapidly due mainly to the opportunity it offers pet lovers, allowing aspiring entrepreneurs to ditch their corporate careers and become business owners. Carla Mangone, the first Pet Wants franchisee in Virginia, is one of those passionate entrepreneurs.

“It was funny timing because we had just adopted our first dog, Alli, and the following week, I had to leave my corporate job,” said Mangone. “My husband suggested franchise ownership, and since pet ownership was on our minds, we looked into franchising with Pet Wants. It was a perfect fit.”

Before partnering with the company as a franchise owner, Mangone first fell in love with the brand as a consumer. She was drawn to the free, convenient delivery service and the high-quality food.

“When we first adopted our dog, she wasn’t eating her store-bought food,” she said. “After looking online, I found Pet Wants and decided to try them. My dog was obsessed with the food, so I knew it was a great product.”

Since partnering with the company, Mangone has realized that many pet owners in Virginia rely on delivery services. And when customers realize that the delivery service is free, they are quickly sold on the Pet Wants brand and its high-quality offerings.

Pet Wants prides itself on pet food made with fresh, natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals and free of potentially harmful fillers, lousy ingredient choices and animal byproducts that make other pet foods bad for four-legged friends. The company’s exclusive premium fresh pet foods are produced every six weeks by their production partner manufactured in the brand’s U.S. facility and shipped directly to its franchises in small batches. This system allows franchisees like Mangone to enjoy exclusivity regarding customer demand in the growing pet food industry. 

While the logistics and operations model appealed to Mangone, she was mainly drawn to the company because of its values and backstory.

“The founder of Pet Wants had a dog that had trouble eating,” she said. “After researching pet nutrition, they discovered how important it is and how often diet issues are unaddressed in pets. At the end of the day, the company cares about pets and pet owners. That’s what sold us on this the brand and the investment.”

Pet Wants franchisees also have access to a training and development curriculum that provides the tools to become an expert in pet nutrition so that they can offer more than just great products. The team’s expert knowledge will help franchisees establish credibility when talking to prospective customers about their pets’ needs. It will also allow franchisees to connect more deeply with their customers regarding their pets’ wellbeing.

“The number one thing I love about this business is the relationship I have with customers and their pets,” she said. “I enjoy hearing about how their pets benefit from the food, products and treats. Knowing we are impacting their lives really keeps me going.”

Moving forward, Mangone wants to expand on her two territories and continue to build her mobile service. She also wants to continue to give back to her community and those in need.

“We donated over $10,000 to an animal rescue last year, and we hope to double that amount this year,” she said. “We want to donate more food and ease the financial burden on these great institutions. Ultimately, the more we grow, the more we can give back.”

The total investment estimate to begin operations on a new Pet Wants franchise ranges from $42,500 to $202,000, including a $42,500 franchise fee that can be earned back through the brand’s Winner’s Circle program. For more information, visit https://petwantsfranchise.com/.