Joins Garnett Station Partners to Support the Next Phase of Growth for North America’s Leading Pet Services Franchise
Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming (“Woof Gang” or the “Company”), a leading pet grooming and specialty retail franchise concept, today announced a growth investment from Great Hill Partners (“Great Hill”), a Boston-based investment firm with a long track record of partnering with category-defining businesses to accelerate their growth. Great Hill joins existing investor Garnett Station Partners who remains a significant and committed partner to Woof Gang’s continued growth. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Great Hill’s investment and partnership is designed to build on Woof Gang’s strong existing momentum by deepening franchisee support infrastructure, expanding into new markets, and investing in the digital marketing capabilities needed to drive national brand awareness.
Founded in 2007, Woof Gang provides personalized, salon-style grooming experiences and a curated retail offering to pet owners nationwide. Woof Gang operates a national franchise network across 36 states, giving franchisees the tools, operational infrastructure, and training needed to build high-growth, resilient businesses in their local communities. Consistently recognized as a top-rated franchise by Entrepreneur and the Franchise Times, Woof Gang has more than doubled its footprint since 2022, expanding to more than 450 franchisee locations open or under development across the United States.
“We believe we are still in the early innings of expanding Woof Gang to serve pet parents across North America,” said Ricardo Azevedo, Chief Executive Officer of Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming. “We are the largest brand of our kind in the country, and the whitespace ahead of us is tremendous. Partnering with Great Hill gives us additional resources and expertise to leverage the strength of our existing platform as we continue opening stores alongside passionate, well-trained franchisees who share our commitment to making every pet feel loved. We are in an even stronger position to bring the Woof Gang Way to more communities across North America.”
“What attracted us to Woof Gang is the quality of what has already been built: a differentiated brand with a loyal customer following, a franchisee network generating some of the strongest unit-level returns in the industry, and a world class management team,” said David Roberts, Managing Director at Great Hill Partners. “We are excited to partner with Ricardo, the management team, and Garnett Station as Woof Gang continues to realize its full potential as a category-defining name in pet services.”
“Garnett Station was the first outside capital partner for Woof Gang in 2022, committing to a long-term growth investment. We knew that a strong brand and offering in the pet category – with visionary founders and an experienced management team – had tremendous potential for growth. After doubling its footprint and expanding into 36 states, Woof Gang is on its way towards becoming a true national brand. We are pleased to partner with Great Hill and the management team to accelerate momentum and realize the full potential of this exceptional business,” said David Dragich, Managing Director at Garnett Station.
In connection with the partnership, David Roberts, Managing Director at Great Hill, and Douglas Wigley, Vice President at Great Hill, will join Woof Gang’s Board of Directors. They will serve alongside CEO Ricardo Azevedo and Garnett Station Partners.
Harris Williams served as exclusive financial advisor to Great Hill; Paul Hastings LLP acted as legal counsel to Great Hill; Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP acted as legal counsel to Woof Gang.
About Woof Gang
Founded in 2007, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming is the leading pet grooming and specialty retail franchise in North America, with more than 450 locations open or under development across the United States. At its core, Woof Gang is redefining the grooming industry through a personalized, salon-style experience built on safety, care, and love. Beyond grooming, Woof Gang offers exclusive gourmet treats, premium pet food, and curated supplies that enhance the health, happiness, and well-being of pets.
Woof Gang has been recognized as a Top 10 Retailer by Pet Business Media and one of the nation’s fastest-growing pet chains by Pet Insight Magazine. The franchise has received the Retailer of the Year Franchise Award from Pet Product News, the Best Overall Multi-Unit Retailer and Multiservice Excellence Award from Pet Business Media and was recently ranked on Entrepreneur’s 45th Annual Franchise 500® for the second consecutive year. In 2025, Woof Gang was also named to Entrepreneur’s Fastest-Growing Franchises list and secured a spot in the Franchise Times Top 400 for the fourth consecutive year.
About Great Hill Partners
Founded in 1998, Great Hill Partners targets investments of $100 million to $750 million in high-growth companies across the software, financial services, healthcare, consumer, and business services sectors. With offices in Boston and London, Great Hill has raised funds with over $19 billion in commitments and invested in more than 100 companies since 1998, establishing an extensive track record of building long-term partnerships with entrepreneurs and providing flexible resources to help middle-market companies scale. Great Hill has been recognized for its industry leadership, ranking in the top 5 of HEC Paris-Dow Jones’ Mid-Market, Large Buyout, and Upper Mid-Market Performance Ranking lists for five consecutive years (2021–2025). For more information, including a list of all Great Hill investments, please visit www.greathillpartners.com.
Disclaimer: An additional HEC ranking was awarded that is not presented herein. Further information is available upon request. Great Hill Partners did not provide any compensation to HEC Paris-Dow Jones to be considered for any of these rankings.
About Garnett Station Partners
Garnett Station Partners is a principal investment firm founded in 2013 that manages approximately $4.5 billion of assets. Garnett Station partners with experienced and entrepreneurial management teams and strategic investors to build value for its portfolio of growth platforms. The firm draws on its global relationships, operational experience and rigorous diligence process to source, underwrite and manage investments. Core sectors include consumer and business services, health and wellness, automotive, and food and beverage. Garnett Station’s culture is based on the principles of entrepreneurship, collaboration, analytical rigor and accountability. For more information, please visit garnettstation.com.
