Batteries Plus Signs 15 Agreements For 30 Units As Commercial Franchise Sales Grow

Batteries Plus is heading into the second half of 2026 with a retail-franchise growth update that is less about impulse shopping and more about essential services. The Hartland, Wisconsin-based battery and power solutions brand says it signed 15 franchise agreements covering 30 units in the first six months of the year and opened 12 new stores. In a retail environment where many concepts are still explaining why customers need a physical store, Batteries Plus is leaning into commercial demand, service expertise and multi-unit ownership.

The company says its strongest sales momentum is coming from a commercial-first model. Franchisees serving hospitals, school systems, municipalities and community organizations are posting some of the system's strongest sales results, according to the announcement. That detail is important because it frames the stores as local service infrastructure, not only a place where consumers buy replacement batteries. Commercial customers often need reliability, speed, technical advice and ongoing relationships. If franchisees can serve those accounts well, revenue can become less dependent on casual foot traffic.

Victor Daher, vice president of franchise development, connected the growth to durable everyday demand and said owners are increasingly investing in more than one unit. Multi-unit appetite is a useful signal in retail franchising because existing or experienced operators usually look closely at staffing, margins, service complexity and local-market repeatability before committing to additional stores. Batteries Plus also says its network now includes more than 800 locations open and in development across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

The first-half update includes organizational and brand investments as well. Batteries Plus promoted Jon Sica from chief operating officer to president and expanded its franchise development team. The brand also introduced new marketing work built around the Battery Pack campaign, which grew out of its Plus Games, an internal competition where franchisees and store associates tested speed, knowledge and skill. That matters because specialty retail depends heavily on staff expertise. A customer who needs a battery, key fob, lighting solution, phone repair or commercial power product is often buying advice as much as inventory.

Batteries Plus also continues to position itself around community impact. The announcement points to its Power with Purpose initiative with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, plus broader recognition including Forbes' 2026 Best Midsize Employers list and Entrepreneur's Hall of Fame. Awards should not be treated as proof of unit economics, but they do help the franchisor tell a stability story to candidates who are comparing concepts in a cautious financing environment.

For franchise-market readers, the Batteries Plus story shows why some retail systems remain attractive despite broader pressure on brick-and-mortar. The category is need-based, technically specific and relevant to both consumers and businesses. The challenge is that execution depends on knowledgeable staff, local commercial outreach, inventory discipline and service quality. Signing 30 units in the first half is a strong development signal. The more important question for the second half is whether those operators can build local account relationships that make the stores essential rather than merely convenient. In that sense, Batteries Plus is competing less like a conventional retailer and more like a local technical-services platform with storefront visibility.