LIVONIA, Mich., March 18, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With 82.5 million homes across America having a pet asan official family member, the $55.7 billion pet industry continues to skyrocket, projected to grow by 4 percent annually over the next four years.
Among those responding to the unstoppable demand is Pet Supplies Plus, a 25-year-old franchise with nearly 300 stores. Last year alone, Pet Supplies Plus opened 18 new franchise and corporate stores and will increase its unit count by 10 to 15 percent each year moving forward, focusing on opening both corporate and franchised stores in new and underserved markets.
To prepare for the accelerated growth, executives invested in strengthening infrastructure, expanding the store support center team for both corporate and franchised stores, and introduced a new "neighborhood-centric" prototype. The pet retail chain also built a new 760,000+ square-foot distribution center.
In 2014, the retail chain will specifically target fast growing markets from Florida to Minnesota; including great trade areas in Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Texas for franchise development.
"One of the reasons for the continued heightened demand in the pet products industry is the humanization of pets," said Dave Bolen, President and CEO of Pet Supplies Plus. "We've responded to that trend by conveniently locating our stores in neighborhoods and making our stores friendly for the neighbors who want to bring their pets shopping. We've enhanced our shopping experience, emphasized Made-in-the-USA pet consumables, natural and organic pet food and offered in-store pet services that drive traffic and customer loyalty. Now, we're looking to find business savvy franchise partners who share a passion for pets who want to be an integral part of their community."
Pet Supplies Plus is offering refreshed franchise opportunities to entrepreneurs. In addition to a new prototype boasting a layout emphasizing convenience, functionality and pet interaction, the pet retail franchise recently began offering a smaller prototype for rural markets for a lower rate of investment.
Founded on the idea that convenient, quality service for busy neighbors was lacking in the pet industry, retail veterans, Jack Berry and Harry Shallop, opened the first Pet Supplies Plus store in Redford, Michigan. Since then, the neighborhood-style pet store has become a household name in 23 states. Pet Supplies Plus was acquired by private equity group Irving Place Capital in 2010.
About Pet Supplies Plus
With more than 290 locations in 23 Eastern states, Pet Supplies Plus has earned the reputation as America's Favorite Neighborhood Pet Store by offering a wide array of pet food, pet products, grooming services and animal expertise in a welcoming environment. With a friendly, pet-centered culture, where store managers and associates actually know the names of hundreds of their pet customers and their pet parents, each Pet Supplies Plus is large enough to house a broad selection of food and equipment, yet small enough to still feel neighborly. The company, headquartered in Livonia, MI., has earned its success by understanding the unique bond between humans and their pets, while championing the conviction that 'People Don't Own Pets, Pets Own People.' Pet Supplies Plus is ranked in Entrepreneur magazine's 35th Annual Franchise 500® list as the Top Full-Service Pet Supplies Franchise for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate, and system size. For more information about franchising with Pet Supplies Plus, please visit www.petsuppliesplus.com.