How Mosquito Joe Plans to Add Layer of Defense to Denver, Colorado Residents From Mosquito Borne Illness

Colorado made headlines last summer when the first West Nile death of the year was confirmed. In 2016 alone, there were 149 cases of the West Nile virus in Colorado, eight of which led to deaths. With cases of Zika virus making consistent headlines in the same year, the timing was ideal for Mosquito Joe to step into the market.

Mosquito Joe is a franchise system providing mosquito control solutions for residential and commercial properties. Not only did its service help ease the fears of individuals in areas where cases of West Nile and Zika had been reported, but it also positioned the brand to be a service people could come to rely on in times when mosquito borne illness was making daily headlines.

While Colorado residents experience around seven months of winter every year, the warmer months are a time when the demand for mosquito control skyrockets, as people want to enjoy the outdoors every moment they can.

Local franchise growth

“When my family returned to the U.S. from living abroad in 2011, our neighbors were using Mosquito Joe,” said Colorado-based Mosquito Joe franchisee Eric Strumpf. “We had never heard of them or their service before, but since my wife and my sons were so allergic to bug bites, we began considering it. I was a skeptic. But bug spray wasn’t cutting it for my family, so we called on Mosquito Joe. Now, I’m totally converted and I have loved the service. It allows us to hang out outside again, and that’s what ultimately drove me to make the investment in the business opportunity.”

Strumpf owns and operates Mosquito Joe of Northern Colorado, servicing the Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, Larimer County, Weld County, Boulder, Broomfield, Anthem Ranch and Westminster areas. Within the next two to three years, Strumpf's goal is to expand into surrounding territories. Becoming a Mosquito Joe franchisee includes a franchise fee of $25,000, with start-up costs ranging from $69,600 to $122,500.

Denver market expansion

Mosquito Joe CEO Kevin Wilson also has goals for the Denver market—with the help of the right franchisees, he’s hoping to enter four more territories in Denver over the next two years. According to Wilson, the Mosquito Joe team has identified eight territories where the demographics coupled with demand are signs pointing towards success for the brand.

“Because summer is shorter in Colorado than in other areas of the country, Denver residents are more likely to want to call on services like Mosquito Joe,” said Wilson. “People there want to spend the time that they can enjoying the outdoors, not worrying about mosquitos. It’s a win-win: the cost isn’t as high for the customer because it’s not something they’ll need year-round; the demand is higher for the franchisee, since there’s plenty of opportunities for business during those warmer months.”