This case study is part of IFA’s ongoing effort to showcase how franchisors are identifying challenges, seizing opportunities, and building scalable solutions that benefit franchisees, customers, and the communities they serve.

We interviewed Mark Jameson, Chief Development Officer for Propelled Brands, about how Camp Bow Wow undertook a comprehensive value re-engineering initiative to reduce franchisee investment costs, right-size the physical footprint of its locations, and improve overall unit economics — all without sacrificing the capacity or quality of care that defines the brand.

What was the challenge or opportunity your initiative addressed?

Camp Bow Wow, a leading pet care franchise under the Propelled Brands portfolio, faced a confluence of pressures that made a fresh look at its real estate and construction model both necessary and timely. Rising costs — driven by tariffs and broader inflationary trends — were putting pressure on the total investment required to open a new location. At the same time, leadership recognized that the brand’s existing prototype had grown larger than it needed to be, with common areas and non-revenue-generating spaces that had expanded over time without strategic intent.

The goal was clear: reduce the initial investment for franchisees without reducing the revenue-generating capacity of each location. As Jameson explained, the team was determined to protect what mattered most — the number of cabins, indoor runs, and outdoor yards available for pet care — while eliminating the square footage that served no operational purpose.

The initiative also coincided with a broader rebranding effort for Camp Bow Wow, which created a natural opportunity to reimagine the physical format of the brand. Beyond cost savings, the team saw an opportunity to expand the types of real estate Camp Bow Wow could enter. Historically, the brand had been limited to industrial and office parks. The new prototype was designed to open the door to retail sites and other location types where competitors had begun to gain traction.

What did your brand do — what was the project or initiative?

The Propelled Brands development team conducted a thorough analysis of the Camp Bow Wow prototype, asking a fundamental question: what space is truly necessary to deliver an exceptional experience for pets and their owners, and what has simply accumulated over time?

The answer led to a meaningful reduction in square footage. The new prototype targets approximately 6,000 square feet — down from the prior standard of 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. The savings came entirely from non-revenue-generating areas: oversized lobbies, extra bathrooms, and large back-office spaces were scaled back or reconfigured. The pet care areas themselves — cabins, yards, and indoor runs — remained intact.

Alongside the footprint reduction, the team pursued national supply chain agreements in key categories, including HVAC and rooftop contractors, as well as brand-specific elements like cabins and turf. These agreements helped reduce construction costs through scale and consistency, ensuring franchisees could still build attractive, high-quality locations while keeping their total investment lower.

To validate the new model, Propelled Brands engaged three general contractors to price out construction costs on actual sites already in the pipeline — giving the team real-world cost data, not just estimates. Architectural plans and blueprints were developed for multiple square footage configurations to give franchisees flexibility based on available real estate.

The entire initiative — from concept through planning, design, and contractor engagement — was completed in approximately five months, timed to align with the Camp Bow Wow rebrand.

How were franchisees and the franchisor involved?

Franchisee engagement was extensive throughout the process. The Propelled Brands team worked closely with the Camp Bow Wow Franchisee Advisory Council, as well as franchisees who had built locations in the previous two to three years. These operators brought a practical, on-the-ground perspective to the process — sharing what worked, what hadn’t, and where they believed cost savings were possible.

The team presented its ideas and design concepts to franchisees, gathered feedback, and incorporated that input into the revised prototype. One of the key challenges was helping franchisees understand that a smaller footprint would not mean lower revenue. The franchisor invested time in clearly communicating that the capacity for pets — the actual revenue drivers — was being preserved, while only non-essential square footage was being reduced.

The rebranding process also benefited from franchisee input, with operators contributing their perspectives on the visual and experiential updates to the brand alongside the physical changes to the prototype.

A particularly valuable outcome of the franchisee engagement process was an awakening around supply chain. Franchisees surfaced vendors and suppliers the corporate team had not fully evaluated, leading to meaningful changes in sourcing. As Jameson noted, the process highlighted the importance of understanding who you’re buying from — and who you’re not — in every key construction and equipment category.

What were the results?

The initiative delivered results that were both significant and measurable. Propelled Brands set a target of reducing the franchisee investment by $500,000 compared to the prior year’s Franchise Disclosure Document figures. The final result came in at $480,000 in savings — a reduction of nearly half a million dollars while maintaining the same operational capacity as the prior prototype.

Beyond the upfront investment reduction, the smaller footprint created a meaningful improvement in unit-level economics. With lower rents tied to reduced square footage, franchisees are now positioned to reach break-even faster — which translates directly into more sustainable, profitable operations.

The team also introduced a phased approach to cabin installation, allowing new franchisees to open with the number of cabins appropriate for their initial demand and add capacity over time as their customer base grows. This further reduces the day-one cash outlay without limiting long-term revenue potential.

The first location built to the new prototype is set to open in the Dulles, Virginia area, with additional locations in the pipeline. Construction bids and contracts on these projects are tracking in line with the projected savings, giving the brand confidence in the model’s real-world performance.

Anything you’d do differently if you could?

Reflecting on the process, Jameson identified supply chain research as the area where he would invest more time upfront in any future initiative. While the team did evaluate existing suppliers and explore some alternatives during the project, the franchisee feedback process revealed additional vendors and options that hadn’t been fully considered.
The experience reinforced a broader principle: understanding the full landscape of who is — and isn’t — supplying your system is critical before locking in national agreements. For Propelled Brands, the Camp Bow Wow value engineering project has already prompted supplier changes, and that ongoing refinement is viewed as a healthy outcome of a process that brought both the franchisor and franchisee community closer together around a shared goal.
For Camp Bow Wow, this initiative is now embedded in the brand’s foundation going forward — a smarter, more efficient model that preserves the quality and care the brand is known for, while giving franchisees a stronger path to profitability from day one.

This case study is part of the International Franchise Association’s ongoing effort to showcase how franchisors are identifying challenges, seizing opportunities, and building scalable solutions that benefit franchisees, customers, and the communities they serve.