Ace Hardware placed #7 in the world's most comprehensive franchise ranking, Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500^®

Ace Hardware is the world's largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative, and it continues to earn industry recognition as one of the leading franchise opportunities based on its retailer support, yearly sales growth, and strong brand recognition.

Ace Hardware secured a spot in the Top 10 franchise business opportunities in the world for 2023 according to Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500, one of the most highly sought-after honors in the franchise industry.

After ranking 12^th in 2022, Ace Hardware's record sales and comprehensive retail support helped the company climb up the list in 2023 to the 7^th position out of 500 ranked franchise businesses, according to Entrepreneur Magazine. Entrepreneur is now in its 44^th year of producing this premier franchise industry ranking.

Entrepreneur Magazine named Ace Hardware the #1 Franchise in its retail category. Ace Hardware secured this top spot the previous year in 2022.

"Breaking into the Top 10 on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list is an honor and a reflection of our passion for helping our retail business owners succeed," said John Kittell, Vice President of Retail Operations and New Business at Ace Hardware. "Our goal is to always be the best, especially when it comes to supporting our locally owned entrepreneurs with industry-leading products and service offerings that give them an advantage in an increasingly competitive marketplace. We have always believed that our strength is in our people. Ace Hardware continues to grow and thrive based on our strong ties to the local communities we serve, made possible by our Ace retailers who uphold our helpful brand promise every day."

Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 was the first and most comprehensive franchise company ranking in the world, analyzing a broad range of factors including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. The Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. To view the full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500.

Entrepreneur also ranked Ace Handyman Services #1 in the Home Repairs/Handyman Services category. Overall, Ace Handyman Services ranked #127 on the Franchise 500 list, rising from #238 on the list in 2022. Ace Handyman Services is a stand-alone subsidiary of Ace Hardware corporation. It was created in 2019 as a collection of locally owned franchise businesses staffed by professional and multi-skilled craftsmen and women trained to handle a homeowners to-do list. The roster of services includes carpentry, plumbing, electrical, drywall, painting, flooring and more.

In May 2022, Ace Hardware earned J.D. Power's Highest Ranking for Customer Satisfaction among home improvement retail stores, a ranking it has achieved 15 out of the last 16 years.

Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with more than 5,600 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 70 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; Colon, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com.