Hoodz

Restaurants, hospital cafeterias, hotel kitchens, and school food service operations throughout North America must have their commercial kitchen exhaust systems professionally cleaned on a required schedule. Failure to meet that schedule can result in fire code violations, insurance penalties, and forced closure. NFPA 96 standards establish this requirement, which fire marshals and health inspectors enforce across jurisdictions. Hoodz built its recurring revenue franchise business around this compliance need. The company began in 1972 as a small kitchen exhaust cleaning operation in Northern Michigan. BELFOR Franchise Group acquired the business in 2008, Hoodz expanded nationally that year, and the company began offering franchises in 2009. Today, Hoodz has between 131 and 137 locations across the United States and Canada. International expansion into Ireland and the United Kingdom began in 2021. New locations are scheduled to open in Aiea, Hawaii in November 2025 and Riverton, Utah in December 2025. Hoodz is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is backed by BELFOR Franchise Group, a division of BELFOR Property Restoration and the world's largest residential and commercial services franchisor based on geographic footprint. Hoodz identifies itself as the largest provider of commercial kitchen exhaust system maintenance in North America. Its customers include restaurants, casinos, airports, military bases, prisons, health care facilities, and government kitchens that must purchase this service to meet legal requirements. That requirement supports contracted, recurring revenue that may remain in place during economic downturns. This review uses public franchise disclosure data, market research, and franchisee reporting to assess the opportunity for prospective buyers.

Commercial kitchen cleaning is part of the broader commercial services sector and receives demand from regulatory requirements rather than discretionary consumer spending. The global commercial kitchen cleaning services market was valued at approximately USD 384.15 million in 2024 and is projected to reach around USD 675 million by 2034. That forecast represents a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7.30% between 2025 and 2034. The global range hood cleaning service market is anticipated to reach USD 1.25 billion in 2026 and USD 2.25 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of 7.5% during that forecast period. A narrower Hood Cleaners Market estimate projects growth to USD 437.1 million by 2027 at a CAGR of 3.7%. Within that estimate, the commercial sector is expected to grow at a 4.2% CAGR from 2022 to 2027. Demand may also benefit from higher hygiene and indoor air quality standards after the pandemic, the expansion of food delivery platforms and the resulting increase in commercial kitchens operating at high volume, and food service operators outsourcing specialized maintenance instead of handling it internally. Restaurant cleaning remains fragmented, with most operators working independently as small, local businesses. That structure gives a national franchise system an opportunity to offer long term service contracts, standardized reporting, and insurance grade documentation. Hoodz is therefore entering a growing market shaped by regulation and served mainly by independent operators.

Hoodz offers two primary franchise formats. A Standard Hoodz Territory requires a total initial investment of $199,038 to $244,307. An Express Hoodz Territory requires $169,038 to $214,307. The initial franchise fee is $59,900. Eligible military veterans receive a reduced franchise fee ranging from $23,920 to $47,920. The investment includes the franchise fee, an initial package fee of $23,500, food and lodging during training estimated at $1,800 to $2,500, vehicle acquisition and upfitting estimated at $94,000 to $99,000 for a standard territory, a full time service technician for the first three months estimated at $7,010 to $13,219, and working capital of $10,000 to $30,000. Vehicle acquisition and upfitting represent the largest variable expense and account for much of the roughly $45,000 difference between the low and high standard territory estimates. Minimum financial qualifications include a net worth of at least $300,000, liquid capital of at least $100,000, and a credit score of 700 or higher. The rate is 10% on revenue up to $999,999, 9% on revenue from $1 million to $1.99 million, 8% on revenue from $2 million to $2.99 million, and 7% on revenue above $3 million annually. International operations in Ireland and the United Kingdom use a different structure, with minimum working capital of approximately £43,000 and total investment of £120,000 to £141,500. The mobile service format does not require a retail build out, inventory carrying costs, or a large startup staff, which affects the comparison with other commercial services franchises requiring similar territory sizes.

Hoodz separates office and relationship work from technical service delivery. Since commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning generally occurs while restaurants are closed, technicians usually work in the evening and overnight. Franchisees handle payroll, scheduling, and client relationship management during standard business hours. Services include exhaust fan maintenance, grease containment systems, pressure washing, hood filter cleaning and replacement, conveyor oven cleaning, appliance deep cleaning, grease trap cleaning, concrete cleaning, dumpster pad cleaning, exhaust fan belt replacement, and soak tank service programs. This broader service offering can increase the value of each client relationship and support recurring maintenance work. The initial investment includes one full time service technician for the first three months, and successful franchisees describe limited staffing needs as an advantage of the model. Hoodz territories use ZIP code boundaries and are designed to contain 1,600 to 2,000 potential restaurant sites. Expressways and major highways can serve as natural boundaries, while protected exclusivity zones prevent other Hoodz franchisees from selling or servicing within the designated area. Training totals approximately 92 hours, including approximately 7 to 8 hours in field operations. Nathan Wojtasinski, National Director of Technical Operations, leads the program. He previously owned and operated a family hood cleaning business before selling it to BELFOR Franchise Group in 2008. Jason Thomas, an IKECA certified member with over a decade of experience, leads training and development and manages Hoodz certifications nationwide. Dylan Price is Training and Franchise Success Specialist and works with business coaches to support franchisees from onboarding through technical operations. Support includes a 24/7 call center, home office staff dedicated to franchisee assistance, a proprietary proactive scheduling platform, standardized before and after photo reports, Safety Talk sessions, enhanced Standard Operating Procedures developed by Brand President Nathan Willard, closed franchisee communication forums, and access to BELFOR Franchise Group industry experts and resources. The model is designed for active owner operators, especially during the early stages. Franchisees are expected to participate in business development, technician management, and client relationships, rather than treat the business as a passive investment.

Public U.S. FDD data and corporate reporting provide benchmarks for unit economics. Based on 2024 data, average annual unit volume for a Hoodz franchised location is approximately $546,000 to $550,535. Those figures reflect the specialized nature of hood cleaning compared with broader commercial cleaning businesses, where the subsector average is closer to $797,983. The tiered schedule lowers the royalty percentage after revenue passes the $1 million threshold. The model has no retail lease obligation, no perishable inventory, and no significant seasonal fluctuation because the service is mandated. Recurring contracts can give franchisees a forward revenue pipeline. Buyers should review the FDD directly and speak with current franchisees before building a unit economics model for a particular territory and market.

Hoodz has grown since it began franchising in 2009, reaching 131 to 137 locations across 31 U.S. states and Canada. The South is the largest regional concentration, with 60 franchise locations. The Eastern Seaboard from Florida to New York is an established base, while the Midwest and Western United States offer the main near term expansion opportunity. The system added 4 net new units in 2024 and opened territories in Riverton, Utah and Aiea, Hawaii in late 2025. Hoodz's size and position as a commercial kitchen exhaust maintenance provider give it name recognition when competing for work with large restaurant chains, hotel groups, and institutional food service operators that prefer national vendors serving multiple sites. The company's proactive scheduling platform, photo documentation procedures, and IKECA certified training distinguish its operating process from many independent providers. Brand President Nathan Willard and the leadership team have developed enhanced Standard Operating Procedures, new training materials, and Safety Talk frameworks for use across the system. BELFOR Franchise Group contributes financial stability, shared infrastructure, cross brand operating knowledge, and recruiting and support resources that a comparably sized independent franchisor would find expensive to recreate. Hoodz has been recognized in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, which evaluates more than 150 data points covering costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Expansion into Ireland and the United Kingdom adds geographic diversity and could increase the system's total addressable size over the next decade if those markets develop in line with the North American system.

The strongest candidate is a driven, people oriented entrepreneur who is comfortable with B2B relationship sales, personnel management, and disciplined daily operations. Previous commercial kitchen cleaning experience is not required because the 92 hour training program covers technical work and business development. Experience managing service technicians, running a field service business, or developing commercial client relationships is an advantage. Hoodz favors owners who will leave the office, meet decision makers at restaurants and institutions, and manage continuing B2B client relationships. The Midwest and Western United States offer the largest near term opportunity because Hoodz has a limited presence there. Operations are already developing in Nebraska and Washington. Each protected territory contains 1,600 to 2,000 potential restaurant sites, giving the franchisee a defined service area for building recurring contracts. New territory agreements are available throughout the United States and Canada internationally, with underserved regions receiving the highest recruitment priority. Veterans receive the reduced franchise fee of $23,920 to $47,920. That pricing may appeal to former military operators whose discipline and process orientation fit technical service operations. Hoodz also supports multi unit and multi territory operators. BELFOR Franchise Group provides guidance on adjacent markets, operating scale, and repeating the model across territories, so the system can accommodate franchisees seeking to build a regional business rather than a single territory.

Hoodz operates in a defined commercial services category built around legally required exhaust maintenance, recurring contracts, and a mobile service format. It is supported by the world's largest residential and commercial services franchisor by geographic footprint and competes in a fragmented market growing at a CAGR of 7.3% to 7.5%, depending on the measurement window. Regulatory requirements, recurring contracts, limited overhead, minimal inventory, and lean staffing make the opportunity worth reviewing for buyers with at least $100,000 in liquid capital and a $300,000 net worth who are prepared to operate an active, relationship based B2B service business. Hoodz has a PeerSense Loan Activity Score of 62, placing it in the Moderate performance tier. PeerSense provides independent due diligence information that includes SBA lending history, the Loan Activity Score, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and comparison tools for reviewing Hoodz alongside other commercial services franchises. Buyers can use that information to examine financial and operating factors before deciding whether the brand fits their objectives. The complete Hoodz franchise profile on PeerSense contains the available franchise intelligence for that review.