Size and presence
Laundry franchises have the largest change in active CNPJs among network categories, +150.3% from May 2023 to October 2026
Change in the stock of active CNPJs in laundry, the largest among the 23 comparable categories, from May 2023 to October 2026, or +30.8% per year
See the full table (23 rows)
| Category | Networks | CNPJs in May 2023 | CNPJs in October 2026 | Change | Change without the name effect | Including networks below 30 CNPJs | Growing networks | Openings per deregistration, 24 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laundry | 17 | 1,062 | 2,658 | +150.3% | +148.8% | +139.9% | 81.8% | 4.44 |
| Medical clinics and vaccines | 6 | 218 | 346 | +58.7% | +55.0% | +52.3% | 80.0% | 3.08 |
| Cakes | 5 | 536 | 769 | +43.5% | +43.5% | +32.8% | 80.0% | 3.62 |
| Compounding pharmacy | 7 | 465 | 642 | +38.1% | +37.8% | +33.3% | 100.0% | 4.14 |
| Pharmacy | 11 | 640 | 833 | +30.2% | +28.6% | +30.0% | 80.0% | 3.08 |
| Sweet shop | 7 | 535 | 660 | +23.4% | +23.7% | +22.3% | 85.7% | 1.74 |
| Pizzeria | 10 | 448 | 533 | +19.0% | +19.2% | +9.5% | 60.0% | 2.27 |
| Cleaning and pest control | 9 | 440 | 518 | +17.7% | +18.2% | +11.6% | 33.3% | 2.34 |
| Savory snacks | 7 | 359 | 416 | +15.9% | +15.3% | +15.1% | 57.1% | 1.39 |
| Fried chicken | 7 | 331 | 364 | +10.0% | +9.4% | +6.9% | 42.9% | 1.82 |
| Intimate apparel | 7 | 430 | 472 | +9.8% | +10.9% | +0.2% | 42.9% | 1.56 |
| Ice cream shop | 11 | 634 | 689 | +8.7% | +13.6% | +28.1% | 60.0% | 2.07 |
| Optical store | 17 | 2,986 | 3,230 | +8.2% | +8.3% | +9.6% | 62.5% | 1.60 |
| Footwear | 27 | 2,435 | 2,566 | +5.4% | +5.9% | +5.3% | 40.7% | 1.33 |
| Clothing | 18 | 1,605 | 1,577 | -1.7% | -1.6% | -4.1% | 44.4% | 1.26 |
| Vehicle inspection | 13 | 1,080 | 1,052 | -2.6% | -3.6% | -0.8% | 30.8% | 1.46 |
| Restaurant | 9 | 1,022 | 974 | -4.7% | -4.1% | -3.9% | 22.2% | 1.81 |
| Coffee shop | 12 | 1,274 | 1,211 | -4.9% | -5.0% | -2.5% | 33.3% | 0.84 |
| Juices and mate | 7 | 641 | 607 | -5.3% | -5.3% | -4.8% | 28.6% | 1.33 |
| Credit and purchasing consortia | 9 | 583 | 523 | -10.3% | -9.3% | -4.2% | 11.1% | 1.20 |
| Vocational courses | 7 | 868 | 760 | -12.4% | -13.0% | -8.8% | 14.3% | 0.60 |
| Language schools | 15 | 2,136 | 1,774 | -16.9% | -13.9% | -17.7% | 26.7% | 1.36 |
| Dentistry | 19 | 4,698 | 3,804 | -19.0% | -13.9% | -18.0% | 26.3% | 1.06 |
Networks with the largest stock growthNetworks with at least 50 active CNPJs in May 2023, in a category with at least 5 comparable networks, with no identified namesake risk, no quality note in the observatory's records and growth that does not result from a newly filled trade name.
| Network | Category | CNPJs in May 2023 | CNPJs in October 2026 | Change | Opened in the period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panobianco | Gym | 51 | 208 | +307.8% | 158 |
| The Best Açaí | Açaí | 173 | 600 | +246.8% | 445 |
| Saúde Livre Vacinas | Medical clinics and vaccines | 52 | 148 | +184.6% | 104 |
| Lavanderia 60 Minutos | Laundry | 223 | 543 | +143.5% | 372 |
| Lavô | Laundry | 291 | 588 | +102.1% | 328 |
| Avatim | Cosmetics | 202 | 392 | +94.1% | 204 |
| Creme Mania | Ice cream shop | 51 | 88 | +72.5% | 38 |
| Intervisão | Vehicle inspection | 50 | 84 | +68.0% | 49 |
| JAH do Açaí | Açaí | 93 | 139 | +49.5% | 86 |
| Loucos por Coxinha | Savory snacks | 52 | 77 | +48.1% | 41 |
| Constance | Footwear | 118 | 172 | +45.8% | 77 |
| Trilhas da Amazônia | Açaí | 115 | 163 | +41.7% | 67 |
| Auto Visão | Vehicle inspection | 128 | 171 | +33.6% | 84 |
| Especialista Vistorias | Vehicle inspection | 56 | 74 | +32.1% | 27 |
| Anjos Colchões e Sofás | Mattresses | 157 | 205 | +30.6% | 94 |
Where entries and exits in the whole set of networks come fromMovement, CNPJ by CNPJ, between May 2023 and October 2026, in the measured networks.
| Movement | CNPJs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Entry, opened in the period | 22,290 | 89.3% |
| Entry, already existed under another name | 1,766 | 7.1% |
| Entry, already existed without a trade name | 699 | 2.8% |
| Entry, already existed without active status | 192 | 0.8% |
| Exit, deregistration | 8,775 | 51.8% |
| Exit, inapt status or suspension | 4,319 | 25.5% |
| Exit, another trade name | 2,551 | 15.1% |
| Exit, trade name deleted | 968 | 5.7% |
| Exit, change of CNAE | 318 | 1.9% |
Snapshots of the CNPJ (Brazilian company registry) make it possible to measure the stock of each business category at past dates, with the same trade name expression and the same CNAEs (national classification of economic activities) applied to the networks on all dates. From May 2023 to October 2026, the 503 measured networks as a whole went from 49,925 to 57,941 active CNPJs, a change of +16.1%. In the sample of the general database, active establishments with a trade name and without an MEI (individual microentrepreneur regime) election changed by +15.9% in the same period.
Of the 23 comparable categories, 14 have a larger stock at the end of the period. The largest change is in laundry, from 1,062 to 2,658 CNPJs, and the largest share of growing networks is in compounding pharmacy, with 100.0%. In the last 24 months, the ratio between openings and deregistrations is 1.91 for the set as a whole and reaches 4.44 in laundry.
The table follows the order of the values and includes all categories that meet the criterion. The universe is that of the networks active today, which raises the results, and the column with the networks below 30 CNPJs shows the sensitivity to this cutoff.
How we calculate
In each snapshot, we count the active CNPJs of the measured networks with at least 30 CNPJs today, added up in each network's main category. In May 2023, the file still included the trade name of CNPJs with an MEI election, and those with that election that do not reappear in a later snapshot are removed from that date. The change without the name effect discounts the CNPJs that already existed in May 2023 without a trade name and had it filled in later, and restores those that left because the name was deleted. Openings are the start dates in the 24 months through October 11, 2026, the reference date of the database, in any current status, and deregistrations are the records with status 08 (deregistered) dated within the window. The 12-month ratio differs from that of the openings thermometer indicator, which uses only complete months. A network is growing when it changes by more than 10%, among those that had at least 5 CNPJs in May 2023.
A category is included with at least 5 comparable networks and 30 CNPJs in May 2023. Of the 35 categories with 5 networks and 30 CNPJs today, 3 do not meet this criterion and 9 are left out because a single network accounts for more than 50% of the current stock, the initial stock or the sum of changes by network, in which case the aggregate would identify the network. The list of networks shows the 15 largest changes among the 268 networks with at least 50 CNPJs in May 2023, after removing the 83 in categories below the floor, the 12 with a namesake risk identified in reading the trade names or with a website that lists fewer than half of the attributed CNPJs, the 20 with a quality note in the observatory's records and the 35 in which entries through a newly filled name exceed 10%, entries through another name exceed 25% or removals due to MEI exceed 20% of the initial stock.
What this figure does not show
- There is survivorship bias in the universe. Only networks existing today with at least 30 CNPJs are included, which favors those that grew and excludes those that closed or shrank below that number. With the other networks in the universe, the change for the set goes to +15.9%, and 0 of the 23 categories change sign, although these smaller networks carry a higher namesake risk.
- The snapshot contains only establishments with the trade name filled in. A deleted name looks like an exit and a newly filled name looks like an entry, an effect measured in its own column, which changes the sign of 0 categories. A CNPJ with an MEI election almost never shows a trade name in recent reference months and is left out of the count.
- The expression is the current one. Units with an older spelling and networks that changed their name are undercounted in the first snapshots, and counting by name includes namesakes and leaves out units with another name.
- An active CNPJ does not necessarily equal an operating unit, and a CNPJ classified as inapt stops counting without necessarily being closed. Deregistration in the registry may occur after the location closes, which reduces the most recent deregistrations.
- A percentage change on a small initial stock is more volatile, and the ratio between openings and deregistrations describes the registry without measuring business results.
- The category is a classification by the observatory, based on the name, the CNAE and the network's franchise offer, and each network is placed only in its main category.
Frequently asked questions
Which type of franchise is growing the most in Brazil?
Among the 23 comparable categories, the largest change in the stock of active CNPJs (Brazilian company registry) from May 2023 to October 2026 is in laundry, with +150.3%, followed by medical clinics and vaccines, with +58.7%, and cakes, with +43.5%. The measured networks as a whole changed by +16.1%. The universe is that of the networks active today, which raises the results.
How many franchises open for each one that closes?
In the 503 measured networks, there were 1.91 CNPJ (Brazilian company registry) openings for each deregistration, or closure of the registration, in the 24 months through October 11, 2026 and 1.66 in the 12 months through the same date, according to the records of Receita Federal (the federal tax authority). Deregistration in the registry may occur after the location closes.
Does franchise growth come from new openings?
Of the entries into the measured networks between May 2023 and October 2026, 89.3% are CNPJs (Brazilian company registry) opened in the period and 2.8% are CNPJs that already existed without a trade name. Discounting the effect of names filled in or deleted, the change for the set as a whole goes from +16.1% to +16.6%.
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Maintained by Marktech, which serves franchise networks and franchises. The brands cited belong to their owners and are mentioned here only to identify the network the data refers to.