2023 Acquisition Propels Uni K Wax from Family Business to Powerhouse Franchise

Founded by a mother seeking to create a better waxing experience for her daughters, Uni K Wax has made a name for itself by breaking out of the traditional waxing mold, bringing something new to the $11 billion waxing sector. Uni K Wax offers a natural waxing solution that provides a more skin-friendly hair removal service, and is built on a rich history. The brand launched franchising in 2007 with founder Noemi Grupenmager still at the helm, and it grew to a total of 34 locations across Florida, New York, New Jersey and Texas. 

Earlier this year, Noemi decided to retire and sell the company, and it was acquired by Exaltare Capital Management and Heather Elrod, former CEO of Amazing Lash Studio, Managing Partner at Conscious Capital Growth and now Managing Chair for Uni K Wax. This acquisition presented an opportunity for a team of business, franchise and beauty experts to spearhead the next season of Uni K Wax’s growth, introducing updated internal resources as well as new consumer products.

“Heather’s name behind the business is a big selling point,” said Ozzie Grupenmager, the brother of the original founder and now-chief information officer at Uni K Wax. “It really is a testament to the strength of the franchise. She is also partnering with Omar Simmons, a Planet Fitness multi-unit franchise investor and the president of Exaltare. This experience brings a very unique, franchisee-forward and franchisee-focused brand, which will be essential as we move forward.”

How Uni K Wax Will Continue to Embrace Its Roots in This Next Era of Expansion

A major contributor to Uni K Wax’s ability to stand out to both franchisees and customers in the markets it enters is the heart of the business and its continued commitment to quality and care. As Uni K Wax expands, it will continue to evolve, but the differentiators that lie at the heart of the business will remain, allowing the brand to maintain its status as a revolutionary waxing concept.

Rather than taking over the business and shifting the mission, Elrod explained that the new leadership team will maintain the values of comfort, precision and hygiene that Noemi emphasized at the brand’s founding and the family-like feeling. Still, the acquisition is a key moment for Uni K Wax as it shifts from a family-run business to a powerful franchise system that maintains the family feel.

“Our approach focuses on wholesome growth rather than growth for its own sake,” explained Elrod. “We intentionally want to retain the soul of the entrepreneurial spirit within the business. I've experienced instances where, after institutional capital comes in, things change drastically. Although additional capital provides resources for requisite growth systems and processes, it sometimes introduces bureaucracy and mandates that can alter the original mission of the business. This can stifle the energy and creativity within the brand. We strive to avoid this.”

This year, the team has focused on developing updated training programs and updating consumer product and membership offerings to further bolster the consumer experience and give local owners additional resources to capture repeat revenue and a larger share of their local markets.

2023 Brought Multiple Internal Developments, Benefitting Franchisees and Customers Alike

A new training model decentralizes waxers’ training and learning process, allowing local waxers to learn in-house and new locations to launch more quickly.

“We’ve decentralized the training program and built programs at the studio-level,” explained Ozzie. “We provide instructors so each studio can start quicker than they were before. Waxers don’t have to come to the corporate office for training. They can follow our same standards and replicate the training at each of their locations, which will help us grow faster.”

Ozzie’s recent move from Chief Operating Officer to Chief Information/Technology Officer has allowed him to shift his focus toward technology throughout the system, including a new dashboard and performance success scorecard that will further drive franchisee support and growth. 

Uni K Wax has also implemented new changes that will allow customers even better access to their highly trained waxers. This year, the brand began testing a membership program across Florida and in select New York studios that allows customers to pay a fixed monthly fee — the average price that a non-member would pay for a single service of the same kind — for as many services as they need. Members also receive a 20% discount on any hair removal services outside the scope of their package.

The membership is non-contractual and functions on a month-to-month basis, meaning it benefits customers who might require multiple services per month without locking them into a year-long agreement, but the model is equally beneficial for franchisees as their customers are further incentivized to visit and bring repeat revenue.

“The response has been amazing so far,” said Frank Ponce, Uni K Wax's executive director of operations and a franchise owner in Florida. “The price point, ease of the terms and offering makes it a no-brainer for a lot of our customers. Our customer retention rate far exceeds the industry standard. We are doing an amazing job.”

Bringing the Uni K Wax experience beyond the studio's four walls, the brand has supplied a broad line of retail products that use a proprietary formulation, ensuring that customers can continue high-quality skincare practices between services. This year, its retail line was refreshed and relaunched, available in studios and online from Uni K Wax exclusively. 

More than just the average body scrub, serum or exfoliator, Uni K Wax products are carefully formulated to nourish the most sensitive skin, and all products are free from parabens, preservatives and gluten to avoid irritation and extend smooth results between studio visits.

As it continues to refine processes, support local owners and staff, and provide a skincare experience that simply isn’t available anywhere else, Uni K Wax is growing its claim of the waxing market share, and it is prepared to bring its coveted services to even more fans in the coming years.

Having Built Strong Momentum with Franchisees and Customers in 2023, Uni K Wax Is Looking to Continue Along Its Growth Trajectory Next Year

Looking to 2024, these changes serve as strong primers for the franchise to continue expanding its system. With plans to add between 30 and 50 new locations per year for the foreseeable future, the team sees exceptional potential in Texas, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Nevada. 

As it grows, Uni K Wax is focused on bringing the right franchise partners into the system — those who share the values and vision of Uni K Wax and will execute the plan with pride.

“The ideal Uni K franchisee should be very engaged in the business or have a solid managing partner in place. They come from many walks of life, but they do not need prior industry experience,” said Elrod. “Our goal is to bring our services to every market worldwide. For those looking to come along for the ride, the time has never been better to join the Uni K Wax family.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/uni-k-wax/info.