Pet Supplies Plus Rallies 1,200 at Summit

The pet retailer used its annual owner summit to attack rising build costs with pre-manufactured store elements and deeper operations training.

Priya Shah1 min read
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Franchise owners gathered at the Pet Supplies Plus 2026 Franchisee Summit
Source: Pet Supplies Plus

Pet Supplies Plus and sister brand Wag N' Wash gathered more than 1,200 franchise owners, store leaders, and team members at their annual Franchisee Summit. The week ran under the theme Elevate, but the substance for operators was cost control, with the franchisor moving to blunt the construction and labor pressures squeezing new builds.

Pre-manufactured builds to cut costs

The headline change for operators is a shift toward pre-manufactured elements for new stores and remodels. The brands are standardizing dog wash stations, grooming spaces, bathrooms, and offices into pre-built components. That approach trims on-site labor, shortens build timelines, and makes unit costs more predictable, which matters while material prices stay elevated.

Training built around unit economics

Breakout sessions targeted the levers that decide store profit: financial analysis and planning, marketing, inventory optimization, and operational best practices, alongside culture and animal care. The focus signals where the franchisor sees margin risk. For multi-unit owners, standardized planning tools make it easier to compare performance across locations and spot underperformers early.

Why the summit matters

A 1,200-person summit is a development tool, not just a celebration. Brands use these events to push system-wide adoption of new programs, lock in vendor pricing through the expo, and align franchisees before a growth year. For Pet Supplies Plus, the message to owners was that the franchisor will absorb some complexity so they can open faster.

Priya Shah
Senior Reporter
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