Authority Brands

Apax Partners acquired the initial six franchisor brands in 2017 and remains the controlling shareholder. In 2021, the firm sold a minority interest in a transaction valuing the platform at approximately $1.4 billion (per Bloomberg, 2021). Authority Brands operates as a standalone portfolio company rather than a fund structure, with Apax exercising governance through the board.

Authority Brands owns the franchisor entities — the intellectual property, brand names, and franchise agreements — not the individual service locations. Its franchisees are independent business owners who pay royalties and fees. This asset-light model generates revenue from royalty streams across hundreds of territories without directly employing service technicians.

The company pursues add-on acquisitions of franchisors in the residential and light-commercial services space, favoring essential, non-discretionary categories like plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and pest control. After acquisition, brands retain their consumer-facing identity while integrating into Authority's shared-operations platform for centralized marketing, procurement, and franchisee support.

The portfolio includes Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Mister Sparky, One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, The Cleaning Authority, Mosquito Squad, DoodyCalls, STOP Restoration, Monster Tree Service, America's Swimming Pool Company, and Woofie's, among others. The firm disclosed 13 total brands and approximately 850 territories as of 2023.

The company's franchise territories are concentrated in the United States and Canada. While individual brands may have franchisees in Canadian provinces, the platform's operational footprint and acquisition focus remain North American.

Franchisees pay an initial franchise fee and ongoing royalties typically calculated as a percentage of gross revenue, plus contributions to system-wide marketing funds. Authority Brands deploys centralized resources — including digital lead generation, call-center infrastructure, and preferred-vendor supplier programs — that franchisees can access but do not manage individually.

Authority Brands is Apax's dedicated platform for residential-service franchisor consolidation. Apax has experience in franchising through prior and concurrent investments, but Authority Brands operates independently with its own management team under CEO Rob Weddle, who joined at formation in 2017.