EarthWise Pet is a more than 40-year-old brand focused on all-natural pet food, eco-friendly toys and supplies, grooming services and helping improve the bond between pets and their people. Their franchisees become their community’s go-to resource for all things pet-related. As such, they have built a unique niche in the booming $95 billion pet care industry as one of the most trusted dog grooming and natural pet food franchises. Their founding family opened the first location in 1977, and today they have over 70 locations nationwide.

When it comes to the services, food and supplies we sell, it’s all about quality and expertise. They train franchisees and staff on pet nutrition and wellness so customers know they can turn to them for advice. Retail can be a challenging landscape these days, but they offer customers a curated shopping experience that is laser-focused on eco-friendly, holistic and all natural brands. That sets them apart from big-box pet warehouses or Amazon.com.

An EarthWise Pet franchise sets itself apart by teaching customers how to help their pets live longer and healthier. “That includes proper nutrition, making sure that you’re taking your pet to the vet, getting your dog groomed regularly, going on walks, using experienced pet sitters – all these different services” says Seitz. They offer some of these services directly. In other cases, they connect customers to resources in the community.

Grooming: They offer full-service professional grooming as well as self-service dog washing facilities in a pet-friendly, safe environment that reduces stress for their furry friends. All dogs are expertly groomed by qualified professionals. Self-wash areas are spa-like and easy-to-use, attracting customers who don’t want the hassle of clean-up at home.

Home Delivery: They make it as convenient as possible for customers to take care of the pets they love. In some locations, they even offer same-day delivery. Combined with their carefully product lines, this allows them to easily compete with online retailers.

Retail Sales: EarthWise Pet sells a large variety of all-natural pet products that meet both general and unique needs, such as grain-free or raw diets. Certified green products are sourced from some of the most respected brands in the pet supply industry, which often don’t sell to big-box supply stores. That helps set them apart from competitors.

Key Differentiators

1. They become a hub for all pet needs: EarthWise Pet franchisees work closely with animal rescue groups and reputable pet service providers in the community. Word-of-mouth from customers and other pet care providers helps build their brand.

2. Strong margins: They compete on the basis of quality, not price. Their customers are happy to pay more to provide their pets the best food and care. They gravitate toward products that are all-natural and safe for the environment. Their average grooming ticket for 2020 was $58, an almost 43% increase since 2015, according to their FDD.

3. Their retail offerings are curated: They’ve been a leader in all-natural pet food since the category began to emerge in the 1980’s. For many brands, the founding family’s stores were one of their largest volume retailers in their early days. While some of the larger retailers carry one or two of their brands, the majority of EarthWise distributors and vendors only sell to specialty retailers.

4. Customers rely on them as experts: Their pet franchise owners, with the assistance of their pet nutrition certification program, help educated and guide customers. It’s the kind of one-on-one support that consumers don’t experience when buying online or browsing the dozens of aisles in some massive big-box pet retailer.

5. Manageable store size: Ideally, EarthWise franchise locations range in size from 1,600 to 2,200 square feet. Within that footprint is a full retail store as well as grooming and self-wash services. They don’t need enormous amounts of space to have a huge impact on their communities.