DUNEDIN, Fla. — Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More is closing out 2025 as one of the most dynamic years in the brand’s history, driven by technology adoption, franchise development, and systemwide collaboration that has positioned the company for continued growth in 2026.
“It was a really innovative year in terms of both the technology we focused on and initiatives to drive revenue, as well as franchise development,” said Tina Bacon-DeFrece, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Big Frog. “We should be ending the year with 15 franchise awards, which is phenomenal. It’s a record for us, so we’re very excited about that.”
Big Frog ends 2025 with nearly 75 open locations across North America, expanding into new markets including Albuquerque, New Mexico; Chicago’s North Side; and Ontario, Canada, marking the brand’s first location in Western Canada. Franchisees in diverse markets including Bradenton, Florida, and Edmonton, Canada, posted standout results during the year.
“It shows that if you have solid operators focused on community outreach and marketing, it doesn’t matter where you are in the world,” Bacon-DeFrece said.
Technology and In-Store Production Drive Performance
Nearly one-third of Big Frog’s system achieved double-digit year-over-year growth in 2025, fueled in part by expanded in-store production capabilities. Wider adoption of direct-to-film (DTF) decorating technology has allowed franchisees to increase speed, flexibility, and profitability.
“One big factor is the new equipment we added in 2024 that allows stores to create their own direct-to-film transfers,” Bacon-DeFrece said. “That allows them to create volume and profit and say yes to customers who need things the next day instead of waiting for a wholesaler to ship.”
With five decorating techniques now available in-store, franchisees are able to serve a broader range of customers while improving margins and turnaround times. Continued sales coaching and marketing execution further contributed to systemwide performance gains.
Big Frog also continued to enhance its cloud-based point-of-sale system, providing corporate coaches with deeper insight into store-level performance and profitability. In addition, the brand piloted an AI-powered design tool aimed at streamlining creative workflows and accelerating the design process at the local level.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As Big Frog enters 2026, the brand plans to relaunch a shop-local marketing campaign that highlights franchise owners as locally owned and operated businesses embedded in their communities. A key initiative for the first half of the year will be the phased rollout of a new e-commerce platform, designed to create a national point-of-purchase experience while preserving Big Frog’s personalized service model.
“We don’t want to lose sight of being a concierge, personalized service,” Bacon-DeFrece said. “We don’t want to become a hands-off e-commerce brand.”
With a record franchise development year behind it, Big Frog enters 2026 focused on sustainable growth, thoughtful innovation, and continued support for its franchise owners.
