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Project LeanNation

Project LeanNation is the only nationally franchised retail model offering ready-to-eat, dietitian-approved meals with centralized manufacturing, eliminating food prep for franchisees while delivering high-impact, community-focused health solutions.

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Project LeanNation
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Project LeanNation Franchise Cost and Requirements for 2026

Background

Project LeanNation (PLN) is revolutionizing the prepared meal space by offering much more than just meals. Through centralized manufacturing and distribution, PLN ensures franchisees have no food prep or specialized labor requirements, making it a streamlined and low-maintenance business. The brand stands out by providing nutritional coaching support, personalized guidance, and community impact beyond the four walls of the business. We are looking for franchisees who have a passion for health and wellness and making a positive impact by serving their communities.

Project LeanNation is the first nationally franchised model offering ready-to-eat meals with centralized manufacturing - no food prep for franchisees! It lowers food costs by eliminating local distribution and focuses on a community-centric model for strong member retention. With simple operations, no meal prep required, and wide-open territories, PLN is primed for national growth. The weight management market is booming, & AI can't replace the demand for healthy, great-tasting meals.

Company Details

Established: 2015
First Unit Franchised: 2022
Franchised Units: 100
Company Owned Units: 1
2026 FDD PENDING Registration In: IL MD MN ND RI WA *not registering in HI as of 3/13/26

2026 FDD Filed

Live FDD Tracking status: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mrvLTdDCf4fkX2IOb9ADyHEjusjpI0A0


Consultant Only Info: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1a1oXxZlmS1_NloWz9ieRuQvcODABaWxF


Canada Franchises: No
International Franchises: No

Support and Training Offered By Project LeanNation

Financial Assistance Provided: Preferred vendor referrals, FranFund & Benentrends
Site Selection Assistance: Yes
Specify: Required 3rd party vendor
Lease Negotiation Assistance: Yes
Specify: Required 3rd party vendor

Real Estate and Construction Support with Rise Group (3rd party required vendor):

-Site Selection

- Lease negotiation

- Construction management

Rise has placed over 4000 franchise locations in high caliber retail centers.

Recruiting Assistance: Yes
Specify: Support provided in house
Cooperative Advertising: Yes
Specify: Support provided in house
Training:
Franchise Partner: 3 day training within 60 days of signing FA
Unit Manager training -3 day training at HQ each
4 day on site training for opening locations
Ongoing training
Digital library access

Founder and CEO Tim Dougherty has spent the last few years assembling a strong corporate support structure not only to provide great support to his existing franchise partners but also to over-engineer his infrastructure to support the rapid growth and expansion for PLN. There are also plans in place to

strategically add distribution centers in Central and Western time zones to support national expansion.

Initial training

On-going support

Intranet help systems

Field support

Annual meetings

Advertising

Central purchasing


Strong Starts: 


Franchise Partner ?3 day training within 60 days of signing FA Unit Manager training -3 day training at HQ each 4 day on site training for opening locations 


Ongoing Support: 

Operational/Marketing/ Creative Content/Website 

Monthly proactive support calls to track business progress & provide new strategies KPI training Turnkey quarterly marketing calendar 

Grand Opening/Marketing Process: Community Activation (Pre- Launch) Referral Program (Members)? formalized program, referrals are driving 18% of new memberships Community Partners?with gyms, boutique fitness, & wellness businesses Micro-Influencers/local engagement is very important, and PLN will pre-harvest and scrape the market and then provide a list of each partner/influencer 



Staffed to Win:
GM -$40-50K salary plus bonus (based on conversion & retention)
Key Lead -Best Educator (can scale another lead)?has a few more responsibilities than regular
Educator (3-4) -$15/hour plus tips from shake bar
Store hours: 9-6pm M-F; 9-3 S/S; 57 hours a week is ideal; 2 people in a store at all times; Sat AM
through Mon afternoon is busiest time; 67% of retail sales come between 10am-2pm; Mon is busiest
pickup time

4-6 total employees in the business, simple, straight-forward to operate.

2026 Franchise Requirements Needed to Own a Project LeanNation Franchise.

What does a Project LeanNation Franchise Cost?

Project LeanNation franchise fees for 2026:


Total Investment: $260,150- $396,650

Minimum Liquidity: $100,000

Minimum Net Worth: $500,000

Single Unit Franchise Fee: $60,000
Franchise Fee for Each Additional Unit: $120,000-two units, $135,000-three units
Royalty: 7%
Average Number of Employees at Start/at Maturity: 4-6, Simple operations
Item 19: Yes
Visa Candidates: Yes
Passive Ownership:  No
Semi-Passive Ownership: Yes, Manage the manager model. As an owner, you can be an executive of your business and hire a manager to run your day-to-day operations. This is not a full absentee business.
Specify: Manage the manager model
Home-Based: No
B2B: No
Master Franchise Opportunities: No
Veteran Discount: No

Is Project LeanNation a Semi Absentee Franchise with a Passive Ownership Opportunity?

Yes. Project LeanNation is a semi absentee franchise and allows passive ownership. A semi-absentee franchise is a business you could start and run while still maintaining a job or other obligation.

Is Project LeanNation a Home Based franchise?

No. Project LeanNation is not a home based franchise opportunity.

What Do Project LeanNation Franchise Owners Make?

Click here to find out how much Project LeanNation franchisees make. Project LeanNation offers an Item 19 in their Franchise Disclosure Document which provides financial information about select franchisees in their franchise system.

Is Project LeanNation a Master Franchise Opportunity?

No. Project LeanNation is not a master franchise opportunity.

Does Project LeanNation Offer a Veteran Discount?

No. Project LeanNation franchise does not offer a veteran discount.

Does Project LeanNation Work with E2 Visa and EB-5 Visa Candidates?

Yes. Project LeanNation franchise does work with E2 Visa and EB-5 Visa candidates.

Is Project LeanNation Looking for Franchisees in Canada?

No. Project LeanNation franchise is not looking for Canada franchisees.

Is Project LeanNation Looking for International franchisees?

No. Project LeanNation franchise is not looking for International franchisees.

Where can I see Project LeanNation's FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document)?

Buying a Franchise Guide: What is a Franchise Disclosure Document?

When evaluating a franchise opportunity, reading and understanding the current version of their FDD is a necessity. Considering the benefits of franchising, such as established brand recognition and support from the franchisor, it's important to also take into account franchise fees and franchising royalty fees. Since most franchisors are privately owned companies, the current versions of their FDDs are typically not available unless requested directly from them.

Click here to connect with a Franchise Consultant who can help you obtain a copy quickly and for free. They can also guide you through the essential franchise questions to ask, ensuring you make a well-informed decision about your investment.

Additional Information

Additional Categories

Food & Restaurants, Health, Beauty & Nutrition, Retail, Non Food Franchises

Number of Units Open

20-50 UNITS

Cash Required

$100,000 - $250,000

Master Franchise

No

Passive Franchise

Yes

Home Based Franchise

No

Item 19 Franchise

Yes

Veteran Discount

No

B2B

No

Franchise Opportunities in Canada

No

International Franchise Opportunities

No

E2 Visa Franchise

Yes

Project LeanNation Franchises for Sale

Click Here to inquire about existing Project LeanNation franchises for sale. We may have Project LeanNation franchise resales. A franchise resale is an already established franchise owned by a franchisee and the franchisee is looking to sell their franchise.

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The International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG) is an internationally recognized membership-based franchise organization. IFPG Franchise Consultants guide aspiring business owners through the process of identifying and investing in franchise businesses. The IFPG represents more than 550 franchises. We do not represent all franchises listed here. By clicking on "Request a Consultation," you are agreeing to be contacted by one of our Certified Franchise Consultants to discuss franchise ownership.

About our rankings: The IFPG uses its internal data collected from our membership portal to identify which franchises had the most activity in the past week. This ranking system is not based on franchise sales, franchisee success rates or number of units open. Our ranking system should not be used to make a decision on which franchise to buy it was solely created for internal purposes and for our IFPG Members.

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