Jani-King is the originator of applying the franchising concept to the commercial cleaning industry. When the company was founded in 1969, and prior to launching its first franchise in 1974, there was no franchising in the cleaning business. Not only did Jani-King create the model now copied by so many others, but the company continues to perfect it and expand alongside new technologies and franchising strategies.
One of the greatest testimonies to ownership of a Jani-King regional territory is that more than 50 per cent of its current owners have purchased additional territories after their original acquisition.
Jani-King’s franchisee support is second to none and with more than 120 regional offices in 10 countries, plus the resources of the corporate office in Dallas, Texas, industry experts are available worldwide to share their knowledge and best practices. Specialty divisions in areas such as hospitality, healthcare, sports, entertainment, and education have also been developed to enhance training options and support levels.
How does the Jani-King franchise model work?
What the industry has traditionally referred to as a ‘master franchisee,’ Jani-King calls a ‘regional franchisor.’ Regional franchisors are sub-franchisors that are granted a license to use the Jani-King trademark and Jani-King franchise system in a designated territory. They are authorized to sell unit franchises of the Jani-King brand in their designated territory, with international territories normally consisting of an entire country.
Within the current system, Jani-King has 120 regional offices in 10 countries. Of those offices, 16 are corporate-owned and 104 are owned by regional franchisors who have purchased the exclusive rights to designated territories. Nearly all regional franchisors own more than one territory.
The fee to purchase an exclusive territory is based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, urban population, market conditions, franchising laws, labor law environment and more.
Within those corporate-owned and regional franchisor territories, more than 6,500-unit franchisees operate their own small businesses. They receive support not only from the regional office, but also the corporate office and the collective knowledge and expertise of the entire Jani-King family. Those unit franchises are sold by the ownership group with the exclusive territory rights.
Training – both initial and ongoing – is vital to the success of any franchise business. Foundational pillars of systems are what establish a brand, but it is the continued growth of the system and updated training that keep a brand like Jani-King consistently at the top. The company has dedicated senior executives in both operations and training in the corporate office who consistently work with operations and training leaders throughout the regions to ensure Jani-King remains the leader in commercial cleaning services.
What kind of person flourishes by running a Jani-King business?
Jani-King is broadening its efforts to expand globally and is seeking investors who want to own exclusive rights to available territories around the world. The success stories are plentiful from those who have made the bigger leap into becoming regional franchisors and developing markets, often into sub-franchised regions.
Ideally, such investors are from the region they are purchasing and are connected within the business community while also being familiar with the unique franchising and labor laws in their country. Jani-King has seen the greatest success stories come from such individuals who remain embedded in their community and are hands-on with the operations and oversight of the business themselves with key leadership staff.
What does Jani-king offer its prospective partners?
Initial training of regional franchisors involves six weeks of non-concurrent on-site programs designed to cover all aspects of the business. A fully developed training program was refined in 2022 by corporate leadership as well as the top operational leaders across the Jani-King regional family.
After initial training, experts in specialty areas are available for additional training sessions. Perhaps more valuable than anything else is the collective knowledge that other regional franchisors are very willing to share with others who have joined the Jani-King family.
In addition, an annual conference is held each year in the States where the latest technologies, systems and procedures are showcased through a general meeting and two days of breakout sessions on all aspects of the commercial cleaning business. Most of the Jani-King international franchisors attend the annual conference and many host their own yearly gatherings for unit franchisees that include additional training and educational opportunities.
As mentioned previously, more than 50 per cent of regional franchisors have expanded their investments to additional territories. The majority of Jani-King’s regional owners have been in the company for more than 20 years. Those few who have left Jani-King after years of operation have retired and passed the business on to the next generation of family, or they have sold to their existing partners or other owners within the system.
Jani-King’s most successful international regional franchisors have sub-franchised their territories (for example, Australia, Canada and New Zealand) and brought on owners under their business to further expand.
What is the minimum investment level required?
The minimum investment level for an exclusive international territory, regardless of population size and other market factors, is $195,000. Exclusive territories for larger nations run into the seven figures. In addition, it is recommended that the investor has at least $150,000 in liquid cash/credit line to start the business in its initial year or two.
As regional franchisor candidates demonstrate genuine interest and get through the initial phases of exploring the opportunity, Jani-King is happy to provide many references for real-life and relevant examples to prospects looking into the investment at whatever level desired.
What locations or territories is Jani-King looking to operate in?
Jani-King currently operates in the United States where few exclusive territories remain, and in nine other countries that include: Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
The world is open for business and Jani-King is welcoming towards any qualified investor with genuine interest in owning the rights to Jani-King’s brand, system and all that comes along with it in unopened territories. Franchising and labor laws make some areas more restrictive than others and investors need to be aware of the impact within their desired territories.
What are the franchise terms of agreement and renewal?
International territories are offered at 10-year terms with renewal options. Full payment is expected up front as Jani-King does not finance loans. Revenue and unit franchisee growth is required and staggered during the term of the agreement and discussed during the disclosure process.
Why is Jani-King a good investment?
Jani-King is a proven franchise system with decades of success. Most Jani-King regional franchisors have chosen to expand their investments by adding additional territories.
How in demand are the services Jani-King provides?
Commercial cleaning services are a need for every business in every economic climate. It is an industry that isn’t going away and has consistently grown in size and volume. Many describe it as recession-proof.
With the emphasis on disinfecting and healthy buildings in a post-pandemic environment, perhaps at no other time in history has the commercial cleaning industry been more attractive as a business opportunity for entrepreneurial-minded investors. The dream of business ownership is made even easier within commercial cleaning compared to something like retail that requires land, build-outs and other capital investments the owner faces in addition to the basic costs of buying an established franchise business.
The competition is certainly fierce as many imitators of what Jani-King’s founder started more than 50 years ago exist today. But one thing will never change and that is Jani-King’s position as the “King of Clean” as it was the first to apply franchising principles to commercial cleaning business ownership. Not a company to just rest on its laurels and original position, Jani-King continues to evolve and lead the industry in training, best practices, green cleaning advancements and national and international relationships.