Black-owned franchises are reshaping the future of franchising, creating new pathways to business ownership, multi-unit growth, and generational wealth. From Black-founded franchise brands to entrepreneurs scaling within major systems, this guide explores the most influential Black-owned franchises, breakthrough success stories, and the opportunities driving growth across the industry.
Recent analysis of Census data summarized by Third Way found that Black-owned businesses made up less than 3% of franchise employer firms (2019–2021), even as Black-owned franchise employer businesses showed one of the highest growth rates among demographic groups during that period. That gap, between franchising’s promise and Black ownership representation, helps explain why “Black-owned franchising” has become such an important conversation in the industry.
The encouraging news is that the landscape is changing. More Black entrepreneurs are building franchise systems (becoming franchisors), more Black investors are becoming multi-unit franchisees within major brands, and industry institutions have launched initiatives to expand access and education (including the International Franchise Association’s Black Franchise Leadership Council and Diversity Institute programming).
This article highlights the growing momentum: Black-owned and Black-led franchise brands, plus success stories of Black franchise owners and founders building scalable systems.
Why Franchising Matters for Black Wealth-Building
Franchising is uniquely positioned to help close ownership gaps because it can provide:
- A proven operating model (systems, SOPs, training, support)
- Brand leverage (faster customer trust than an unknown startup)
- A pathway to scale (multi-unit growth is built into many franchise models)
- Transferable enterprise value (successful units can be sold or rolled into portfolios)
If you want a quick overview of how franchising works, watch this short explainer:
But the barriers are real:
- Access to capital and commercial lending remains uneven.
- Many aspiring operators lack early-stage education about franchise due diligence, site selection, and unit economics.
- Some communities have fewer “franchise ecosystems” (mentors, brokers, SBA lenders, experienced operators).
That’s why education and community-building efforts matter. The IFA’s BFLC mission emphasizes awareness, understanding, and access for Black entrepreneurs, paired with mentorship and industry engagement.
Black-Owned and Black-Led Franchise Brands to Know
A quick note on definitions: “Black-owned franchise brands” can mean (1) Black-founded and still Black-led or owned, or (2) Black-founded brands that later brought in outside ownership but remain influential success stories. Where ownership structures may evolve over time, the safest way to frame these is Black-founded / Black-led (and to be transparent when a brand is “Black-founded” rather than confirmed “Black-owned today”).
1) Slutty Vegan (Black-founded; franchising now underway)
Few modern food brands have captured attention like Slutty Vegan, founded by Aisha “Pinky” Cole Hayes. In late 2025, multiple outlets reported that the brand is officially franchising, offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to open units.
Why it matters: Slutty Vegan is a highly visible example of a Black-founded concept transitioning into a formal franchise growth vehicle, an important signal for the next generation of Black franchisors.
2) Kika Stretch Studios (Black-led franchisor in wellness and fitness)
Kika Stretch Studios, led by founder and CEO Kika Wise, is a strong example outside foodservice: a Black-led wellness concept scaling through franchising. The brand describes itself as having 14 locations across the U.S.
Why it matters: Service and wellness franchises often scale with lower kitchen complexity and can be attractive for multi-unit ownership strategies.
3) Paralee Boyd (Black-founded hair salon franchise)
Founder Dana White has been profiled as the CEO behind Paralee Boyd, described as a Black woman franchising a national hair salon business.
Why it matters: Beauty services and personal care have long been strong categories for entrepreneurship. Franchising brings replicable systems and support that can help scale across markets.
4) Encore Salon Suites (Black-owned salon suite franchisor, industry recognition)
Salon suites have become a major trend in beauty and real estate hybrid models. A Natural Hair Show feature describes Encore Salon Suites as the first Black-owned salon suite brand to achieve franchisor status.
Why it matters: Salon suites combine recurring “member” revenue dynamics with real estate discipline, often appealing to investors and multi-unit operators.
Success Stories of Black Franchise Ownership Within Major Brands
“Black-owned franchising” isn’t only about Black franchisors. It also includes Black franchisees building wealth inside established franchise systems, often starting with one unit and scaling to multi-unit portfolios.
5) Multi-unit franchise ownership in major systems
Mainstream brands can be powerful vehicles for Black multi-unit expansion, especially when paired with strong financing strategies and disciplined operations.
For example, human-interest coverage has profiled Black entrepreneurs scaling Smoothie King into multiple locations. While these are individual stories rather than systemwide statistics, they illustrate the real-world pathway: start, stabilize, then scale.
Learn more about Junior Bridgeman and his path from sports stardom to franchise success.
6) Franchises recognized for high Black ownership representation
Franchise Business Review has highlighted franchise systems that show a higher likelihood of Black ownership within their networks.
Why it matters: For aspiring owners, choosing brands with stronger diversity representation can increase access to peer mentorship, cultural alignment, and proven track records of franchisee success.
Black-Owned Restaurant Chains and Culturally Significant Brands
Some brands aren’t always “traditional franchise systems,” but they are significant Black-owned or Black-founded chains that demonstrate what scalable brand-building can look like.
7) Hilltop Coffee & Kitchen (Black-owned cafe chain example)
TastingTable’s overview of Black-owned restaurant chains includes Hilltop Coffee & Kitchen (founded by Yonnie Hagos and Ajay Relan, with Issa Rae involved later).
Why it matters: Cafe models often translate well into franchising because of repeat daily demand and strong community-driven positioning.
8) Prince’s Hot Chicken (iconic Black-owned chain legacy)
The same TastingTable roundup references Prince’s Hot Chicken (noting multiple locations).
Why it matters: Legacy brands with strong cultural identity often have the ingredients to franchise, if systems and supply chain are built thoughtfully.
Note: Some legacy brands in broader lists are Black-founded but not necessarily Black-owned today. When using these examples in marketing materials, it’s best to label them Black-founded unless you’ve confirmed current ownership structure.
Why More Black-Owned Franchise Brands Are Emerging Now
Several forces are converging:
1) More Black entrepreneurship overall
Multiple sources point to increases in Black entrepreneurship and business formation in recent years, even as disparities persist. More entrepreneurs means more founders reaching the stage where franchising becomes a viable scale strategy.
2) Industry focus on access and inclusion
IFA programming such as the BFLC and the Diversity Institute have helped put education, mentorship, and access-to-capital conversations into the center of franchise industry planning.
3) Social media as a growth accelerator
Black-founded consumer brands, especially food, can build national awareness faster than ever, turning local concepts into scalable demand engines. Slutty Vegan’s growth story is a prime example of cultural relevance converting into expansion ambition.
What Makes a Black-Owned Franchise Brand Franchise-Ready
Whether a brand is Black-owned, minority-owned, or any founder-led concept, franchising success comes down to fundamentals:
- Unit economics that work
Franchisees must be able to build sustainable profit after royalties and marketing contributions. - A teachable operating system
If the business depends on the founder’s presence, it’s not franchise-ready yet. - A real support model
Training, field support, marketing tools, and vendor relationships must be real, not “promised.” - Compliance and brand protection
Franchising requires disciplined legal compliance and brand standards to protect both parties. - A replicable site strategy
Real estate, staffing assumptions, and local marketing need to work across multiple markets, not just the hometown flagship.
A Practical List of Black Franchising Success Stories
Here’s a quick, usable list you can reference as examples of momentum:
- Aisha “Pinky” Cole Hayes (Slutty Vegan), Black-founded brand now moving into franchising.
- Kika Wise (Kika Stretch Studios), Black-led franchisor scaling a niche wellness concept with multiple U.S. locations.
- Dana White (Paralee Boyd), Black woman founder profiled for building and franchising a salon concept.
- Patrice “Sway” McKinney (Encore Salon Suites), recognized as the founder of a Black-owned salon suite franchisor.
- Black multi-unit operators in major franchise systems (example profiles), stories of scaling within large brands illustrate the pathway from operator to portfolio owner.
The Opportunity Ahead
Black-owned franchising is not a trend, it’s a long-overdue expansion of ownership opportunity. The data still shows underrepresentation in franchise employer ownership (less than 3% of firms in one Census-based analysis), but also points to meaningful growth momentum.
The next wave of progress will come from two directions at once:
- More Black founders building scalable franchise systems
- More Black franchisees scaling into multi-unit portfolios inside strong brands
Both pathways create jobs, neighborhood investment, and generational wealth, exactly what franchising is capable of when access expands and systems are built the right way.
For more information on how to franchise your business, contact Franchise Marketing Systems.
For more information on how to find a franchise investment, visit Franchise Conduit.
For more information on how to get money to open a franchise, contact Franchise Funding Solutions.
