Slime Queen Picks Her Winners

By Sean Goldsmith

Slime Kitchen has grown to 19 US locations, with founder Kathy Ando rethinking expansion to support franchise owners.

If you've ever had a child who became obsessed with making slime, you'll understand why Kathy Ando thought there might be a business in it. The stuff gets everywhere, parents spend half their time cleaning up afterwards, and children seem perfectly capable of making another batch five minutes later.

During the pandemic, Ando's young daughter developed a fascination with slime-making. The family's experiments eventually involved an industrial mixer in the kitchen, and Ando began to wonder whether other parents might pay for their children to enjoy the same activity somewhere that didn't involve the family dining table.

She had spent years working in technology and e-commerce, including roles with Apple, eBay and GoPro, but in 2022 she opened the first Slime Kitchen in California. By July 2026, the business had grown to 19 locations across seven American states, including ten franchised shops and nine company-owned locations.

Ando reported 60% revenue growth in 2025, although that figure relates to the business as a whole rather than the earnings of individual franchisees. What interested me more was her admission that she had changed her mind about how the company should expand.

Why the Founder Wants to Keep More Shops

In a July interview with Bizwomen, Ando explained that she had initially expected franchising to account for most of Slime Kitchen's growth. Experience has persuaded her to retain company ownership in larger markets while continuing to work with franchisees in smaller cities.

Some people might interpret that as a lack of confidence in franchising, particularly from a founder who is actively recruiting franchisees. I see it differently, because Ando is acknowledging something that every responsible franchisor eventually has to confront: supporting independent business owners takes time, money and considerable attention.

A franchisor earns fees and royalties, but those payments come with obligations. New owners need training, reliable supplies, marketing assistance and practical help when something goes wrong. Selling another franchise agreement is relatively straightforward compared with making sure that business operates successfully for years afterwards.

Ando has also acknowledged that franchising can be less profitable for the parent company than operating its own successful shops. That is a reasonable commercial consideration, and I'd rather hear a founder discuss it openly than pretend every new franchise is automatically a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved.

There's a Proper Business Behind the Mess

Slime Kitchen gives children the opportunity to choose colours, scents and decorations before making their own slime with help from staff. The shops also offer parties and group activities, giving parents an organised outing that doesn't require them to supply the ingredients or clean the kitchen afterwards.

It's an appealing idea, although running one of these shops involves considerably more than watching children have fun. Employees need to explain activities, supervise customers, manage bookings and clean workstations throughout the day. Ingredients must be replenished, parties need organising and enough staff must be available when several families arrive together.

Then there are the ordinary expenses of running a retail business. Rent, wages, insurance, utilities and marketing all have to be paid, including during quieter periods when there may be fewer children coming through the door.

Slime Kitchen advertises an initial franchise fee of $45,000 and royalties of 7%, and it expects owners to take an active role in managing their locations. Prospective franchisees should obtain the current Franchise Disclosure Document to establish the full investment required, because the cost of premises and opening a shop will vary.

I'd also want to speak with existing owners about weekday customer numbers, average spending and the proportion of revenue generated by birthday parties. A shop can be extremely popular on Saturdays and still struggle if there isn't enough business during the rest of the week.

Why Smaller Cities Could Be Good Franchise Markets

Ando's preference for company-owned locations in major markets and franchisees in smaller cities makes sense if the company can identify communities with enough families to support the business.

A local franchisee may already know which shopping centres attract parents, where children's parties are popular and how much families are prepared to spend on activities. Those relationships and that local knowledge can be valuable when introducing an unfamiliar brand.

Meanwhile, company-owned locations allow Slime Kitchen to keep learning from its own customers. The business can try new activities, assess ingredient costs and work out how many employees are needed during busy sessions before asking franchisees to adopt changes.

I particularly like the fact that Ando intends to remain directly involved in operating shops. If staffing becomes more expensive or customers begin losing interest in a particular activity, her company will experience those problems in its own locations.

That should give the franchisor a practical understanding of the pressures facing independent owners, although the quality of its training and support will ultimately determine whether franchisees benefit.

A Franchise Worth Growing Carefully

What appeals to me about Slime Kitchen is that it began with an ordinary family experience. A mother watched her daughter become fascinated by something, recognised that other children might enjoy it and found a way to turn the activity into a business.

The company has already persuaded independent owners to invest in ten franchised locations, which makes Ando's more selective approach particularly interesting. She isn't deciding whether franchising has a place in the business; she's deciding where it makes sense and how much responsibility the company can take on.

Slime Kitchen will still have challenges. Children's interests change, shopping-centre premises can be expensive and an entertaining first visit doesn't guarantee that families will return. The company and its franchisees will need to keep improving the experience while making sure the numbers work.

But I'd be encouraged by a founder who wants to continue operating her own shops while helping franchisees establish theirs. It means the people developing the business remain familiar with the everyday demands of serving customers and paying the bills.

For prospective franchisees, that's a more useful quality than an ambitious announcement about opening hundreds of locations. The strongest franchise relationships are built when the franchisor understands what its owners are dealing with and has a genuine interest in helping them succeed.

Slime Kitchen has found a surprisingly entertaining way to bring families into physical shops. If Ando can combine that appeal with careful franchise recruitment and good operational support, there's every reason for the company and its independent owners to be optimistic about what comes next.

What We Can Learn From This

Slime Kitchen shows why emerging franchise brands should concentrate on making existing locations successful before accelerating expansion. Prospective owners should speak with current franchisees, examine the latest disclosure documents and calculate the customer numbers needed to cover rent, staffing and royalties. Franchisors should continue testing activities and operating procedures in company-owned shops before introducing them across the network. When both parties understand the practical demands of running the business, franchising can help a promising concept reach new communities without sacrificing the standards that made it successful.

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