The 6 Trendiest Types of Franchises in 2015

Every year, the franchise landscape changes in big and small ways. Some franchise categories have big staying power, constantly reinventing and reinvigorating themselves, these types of restaurants and businesses continue to be trendy and popular and spread faster and faster across the country. Each year also has a few upstarts, new types of franchises that are finally spreading outward from cities and regions and becoming nationwide success stories.

RELATED: TOP US FRANCHISES TO OWN 

Here are some of the most popular and talked about franchise categories this year. Many of these types of businesses are not new and may not seem flashy, but they continue to be popular among franchisees and customers. Others have only recently become popular across the country, and this may be a great time to look into these types of businesses. Each category includes many different franchises, so do your research and choose wisely.

1. Education and Extracurricular Activities for Children

Suburban parents continue to look for interesting enrichment activities that can give their children a leg up in school and help them become well-rounded and multi-talented individuals. There are all kinds of enrichment programs that are popular such as Mathnasium and Primrose Schools. The trendiest of them all usually offer STEM programming, which has quickly become an education buzzword across the country.

2. Property Management Companies

There are really great franchise opportunities with property management companies. More and more people are investing in property, but they lack the skills and time to handle the rental process. Property management companies, like Real Property Management and All County, leveraging their reputation and expertise to maintain the property, find tenants and collect rent.

3. Gyms and Fitness Clubs

It’s amazing how many gym franchises continue to open every year. Most markets have still not reached their saturation point, as more and more people are looking for an inexpensive and convenient way to get in a good workout. Even in areas where large gym franchises are prevalent, many new franchises, like Retro Fitness and Orangetheory Fitness are finding ways to pry away their members by offering better customer service, more private settings and a niche culture and services.

4. Pizza Restaurants

No matter what year it is, Americans will always love pizza. New pizza franchises, like Kono Pizza and SKINNYPIZZA, are doing great business across the country. Some of these places are differentiating themselves by offering unique and exciting toppings, while others are bringing regional pizza styles to new locations. Additionally, some pizza franchises are using a Subway/Chipotle model, and customers love the ability to customize their own pie.

5. Wine Shops and Paint Studios

Though these businesses were first seen as a novelty, the public has clearly showed that they are interested. Whether in the cities or in the suburbs, people love learning how to paint and drinking high-quality wine at the same time at places like Pinot’s Palette and Bottle & Bottega. This is a very unique type of franchise, but it still has a lot of growth potential.

6. Elderly and Disabled Home Care

By most estimates, this franchise category will continue to be one of the fastest-growing businesses for decades. As more and more families lack the time and ability to care for their oldest family members, they are turning to assisted living, hospice care and other solutions like Right at Home and Seniors Helping Seniors.

RELATED: FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES 2015