WHERE BUSINESS IS EXTRA HOT

Want to join a fast-growing industry? Here's why there's a boom in breakfast, fitness, recreation, and staffing.

- KIM KAVIN

Ordering eggs, working on your biceps, visiting theme parks, and finding a new job. What do these areas of life have in common? 

Here's the answer: They're all features of thriving franchise categories, and they're growing for the same reason. Business is excellent in the breakfast, fitness, recreation, and staffing/recruiting businesses.

Each provides a form of stability for consumers and franchisees alike!-during turbulent and unpredictable times.

Consider this: When someone grabs coffee on the way to work, improves their physical condition, plays with their kids, and seeks better employment, they are in the process of creating a happier, healthier overall existence.

But this isn't just anecdotal. Entrepreneur knows these categories are thriving and has the data to prove it. Every December, we publish a list of 10 areas in franchising where, based on an analysis of industry trends and year-over-year growth, we expect to see continued success in the year ahead. This time, breakfast, fitness, recreation, and staffing/recruiting were among those we identified, as they appeared to be thriving in spite of-or, in some cases, because of-challenging economic conditions.

So where do the greatest opportunities lie, and what exactly is driving each of these four categories to grow? We investigated what's happening, and the answers are on the following pages.

Why BREAKFAST Is Such a Hot Category

Joe Thornton, president of Scooter's Coffee, admits that sometimes, you're just in the right place at the right time.

"There's probably not many businesses that can say they're recession-proof or pandemic-proof, but we've certainly showed signs of being both those things," he says.