1851

This past year was an eventful one for the franchising industry. 

Between the Papa John&rsquo;s scandal, the no-poach policy changes in the fast food segment and the plethora of brands that embraced popular consumer trends such as easier online ordering and delivery, 2018 was filled with many changes that promise to continue to influence the franchising industry in 2019. 

<a href="https://1851franchise.com/" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">1851 Franchise</a> spoke with different franchise brands and garnered their thoughts on trends that they expect to see in 2019. 

Dan Barton, founder and president of the pet brand <a href="https://splashanddashfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=what-franchisees-are-looking-for-in-the-new-year-2708786" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Splash and Dash Groomerie &amp; Boutique</a>, noted that millennials have become a prime focus for the brand. Splash and Dash Groomerie &amp; Boutique is located all over the United States and plans to continue expanding in the California market, the Texas market and everything east of the Mississippi. 

&ldquo;The pet industry has been dominated by the baby boomers, however in the last year, year and a half, there&rsquo;s been a huge shift to the millennial population,&rdquo; Barton said. 

About a year and a half ago, Splash and Dash began to shift their focus towards the millennial market, as millennials have become the biggest spending segment in the industry, Barton said. 

The company is focused on keeping in line with millennial desires, such as providing healthier and greener products. 

Last year, Barton said, the company changed the look and feel of all of the locations and gave them a modern look. 

&ldquo;We brought in a lot of natural materials, a lot of woodgrain-type countertops,&rdquo; Barton said.

The pet brand also launched its own line of products called &ldquo;Keepin&rsquo; It Simple,&rdquo; which requires that each product is made in a USDA-inspected facility, be made of seven ingredients or less and is composed of human grade ingredients, &ldquo;meaning that the ingredients that go into it could be eaten by a human,&rdquo; Barton said. 

From a consumer perspective, Barton anticipates the millennial influence will continue to grow each year. 

&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a huge opportunity for us,&rdquo; Barton said. 

Reggie Thompson is a franchisee with <a href="https://lemacaronfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=what-franchisees-are-looking-for-in-the-new-year-2708786" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Le Macaron</a>. He owns five Le Macaron franchises - three in Jacksonville, Florida, one in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and one in Savannah, Georgia. He opened his first location in February of 2017. 

&ldquo;When we first opened, people were kind of a little bit hesitant or tentative,&rdquo; he said, adding that the concern was about money, not about the product. 

In 2018, though, Thompson has seen consumer confidence pick up, and said people have &ldquo;a little bit more money to spend.&rdquo; 

The consumer concern had nothing to do with health issues about indulging in a sweet treat, he said. 

&ldquo;Early on it was a money concern,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;That has changed. The health concern, we addressed that over time. We have an excellent product. It&rsquo;s gluten-free, it&rsquo;s about 80 calories and it&rsquo;s all-natural.&rdquo;

One thing Thompson has noticed are increasing numbers of in-person shoppers. In other words, instead of opting to just purchase gifts online, his stores are seeing more people physically go out. He expects this to increase in 2019. 

&ldquo;I see more shoppers,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really starting to see that pick up. I realize while people are still on the internet and they&rsquo;re getting home delivery, I&rsquo;m starting to see people get out more and congregate a little bit more and I think the malls are going to start drawing some of them back. I&rsquo;ve already seen that. I&rsquo;ve been pleasantly surprised by both of our mall locations. They&rsquo;re doing well. I didn&rsquo;t expect that whatsoever.&rdquo;

Whereas people were more likely to stay home and do their shopping online two or three years ago, people now want to get out again, he said, &ldquo;even if they just go out to window shop.&rdquo;

He pointed to Le Macaron&rsquo;s multiple revenue streams, which include gelato imported from France, pastries that are baked fresh daily and chocolates that are handmade and handpainted. Such a variety of products helps set Le Macaron franchisees up for success. 

&ldquo;We like the trends we see, and we expect them to continue,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t see anything out there that&rsquo;s going to slow anything down.&rdquo;

What Franchisees are Looking for in the New Year

1851 Franchise

Consumer trends will help businesses boom in 2019, franchisees say. 

what-franchisees-are-looking-for-in-the-new-year

Lawn Doctor

Happinest-Lawn-Doctor-Franchisee-Ralph-Valle-Profile-Jacksonville-FL-June-2025

From Near-Quit to 7 Figures: Success With Lawn Doctor in Jacksonville, Florida

lawn-doctor-franchise-success-jacksonville

Atomic Wings

Atomic Wings Debuts in Metro East With Fairview Heights Grand Opening

atomic-wings-debuts-in-metro-east-with-fairview-heights-grand-opening

Pet Wants

Pet Wants Shares Expert Tips on Cleaning Pet Gear Safely in the Dishwasher

pet-wants-shares-expert-tips-on-cleaning-pet-gear-safely-in-the-dishwasher

Griswold

Griswold in Andover, Minnesota, Connects Students and Seniors Through Pen Pal Program

griswold-in-andover-minnesota-connects-students-and-seniors-through-pen-pal-program

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Photo of HomeTeam Inspection Service franchisee Max Moarefdoust

Corporate Employee Turned Owner Illustrates the Power of the HomeTeam Model

max-moarefdoust-hometeam-success

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

Hardee’s Lawsuit Highlights the Risk of Going Off-Model in Franchising

hardees-franchise-lawsuit-paradigm-investment-group

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

What Franchisees are Looking for in the New Year

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS