What Twist Brands does

Twist Brands LLC is a privately held holding company formed in 2020 that owns and operates a multi-brand portfolio of arts and crafts entertainment franchises, including Painting with a Twist (the original paint-and-sip franchise, founded 2007), Color Me Mine (paint-your-own-pottery, 140+ locations), Pinot's Palette (acquired September 2024, 69 studios), Chesapeake Ceramics, and TD Art Supply. The company generates revenue primarily through a franchise-licensed operator model: franchisees pay a one-time franchise fee of $25,000 (discounted to $20,000 for veterans), a $12,500 development fee for multi-unit area agreements, and ongoing royalties on studio revenue, with a typical initial franchisee investment of $119,000 to $255,500. End-customer revenue is generated by franchisees through paint-and-sip class fees, private event bookings, at-home product sales, and charitable Painting with a Purpose events, with the franchisor capturing economic value via royalties, fees, supply chain margins, and technology platform monetization. The company targets two customer bases: B2B franchisees (aspiring entrepreneurs with a minimum $200,000 net worth and $80,000 in liquid assets) and B2C end-guests, primarily women aged 25-55 seeking social entertainment experiences.

The company's underlying technology stack consists of custom-built proprietary systems rather than a unified platform: a POS system, customized ecommerce websites per franchisee for event browsing and seat reservations, email and text marketing platforms, social media advertising support, and franchise management tools. The most defensible technology-related asset is the Painting with a Twist art library of 20,000+ copyrighted original works, which the company describes as the largest in the paint-and-sip industry. Payment processing is handled through Authorize.Net with PCI-compliant infrastructure. The company has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no mobile applications, and no public APIs.

Twist Brands is led by CEO Teresa Johnson (who is also CEO of Color Me Mine) and Painting with a Twist CEO Todd Owen, with co-founders Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney remaining associated with the brand. The company operates a home office in Mandeville, Louisiana, and serves markets across the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, and the Philippines. Strategic positioning centers on category leadership (Painting with a Twist has ranked #1 in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 paint-and-sip category for multiple consecutive years, and Color Me Mine debuted at #1 in DIY/Paint-&-Sip in 2026), volume buying power for franchisee supplies, a charitable giving program that has donated nearly $7 million through Painting with a Purpose, and a multi-brand consolidation strategy evidenced by the 2024 Pinot's Palette acquisition.

Name

Twist Brands

Legal name

Twist Brands LLC

Website

https://paintingwithatwistfranchise.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Twist Brands LLC is a privately held holding company that operates a multi-brand franchise portfolio in the arts and crafts entertainment sector, including Painting with a Twist, Color Me Mine, and Pinot's Palette, serving individual guests, private parties, and corporate groups across 230+ studios.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Halethorpe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees: Initial franchise fee of $25,000 per location (discounted to $20,000 for veterans through the IFA's VetFran program) and a development fee of $12,500 for multi-unit area development agreements. These are one-time fees paid by franchisees upon signing.
2. Ongoing Royalty Fees: Franchisees pay ongoing royalty fees based on their revenue. The company offers one royalty-free Painting with a Purpose event per month to encourage charitable giving, with royalties resuming for all other events.
3. Studio Event Revenue (Franchisee-Owned): Franchise studios generate revenue through paint-and-sip class fees, private event bookings, retail product sales (paint kits, at-home options), and special event types including Blacklight, trivia, Paint Your Pet, and daytime Pop In & Paint sessions. Wood board surfaces are offered at an average price point of $45.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Twist Brands LLC is a holding company that operates a portfolio of arts and crafts entertainment franchise brands, most notably Painting with a Twist (the original paint-and-sip franchise), Color Me Mine (paint-your-own-pottery), Pinot's Palette, Chesapeake Ceramics, and TD Art Supply. The company sells franchise rights to entrepreneurs and supports them with a 20,000+ piece art library, proprietary technology platforms, marketing systems, training, and ongoing operational support. Franchisees then operate brick-and-mortar studio locations that deliver guided painting and pottery experiences to consumers.

Product overview

Twist Brands LLC operates a multi-brand franchise portfolio in the arts and crafts entertainment sector. The core offering is Painting with a Twist, the original paint-and-sip franchise that pioneered the category, supplemented by Color Me Mine (paint-your-own-pottery), Chesapeake Ceramics, and TD Art Supply. Following a September 2024 acquisition, Pinot's Palette (paint-and-sip) was added as a separate operating brand. The company provides franchise opportunities across these brands, with combined operations spanning hundreds of studio locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Painting with a Twist: Original paint-and-sip franchise concept, the largest in the U.S., combining wine, art and social entertainment experiences
• Color Me Mine
• Pinot's Palette
• Chesapeake Ceramics
• TD Art Supply

Products and services

• Painting with a Twist The original paint-and-sip franchise concept, offering social painting events where guests create artwork under guided instruction while enjoying wine and refreshments. The largest paint-and-sip franchise in the U.S. with approximately 220+ studios open or under development in 39 states.
• Color Me Mine Paint-your-own-pottery franchise brand offering ceramic painting experiences. Operates over 140 locations across the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, and the Philippines; named No. 1 DIY/Paint-&-Sip Studio in Entrepreneur's 2026 Franchise 500 ranking.
• Pinot's Palette Paint-and-sip franchise with 69 studios across the U.S. and Canada. Operates as a separate brand within the Twist Brands portfolio after acquisition in September 2024.
• Chesapeake Ceramics Ceramic arts franchise brand under Twist Brands LLC, contributing to the company's position in the arts and crafts entertainment sector.
• TD Art Supply Art supply brand under Twist Brands LLC, supporting the franchise network with art supplies and materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% guest satisfaction rate, with 79% being 'very satisfied' with their most recent visit
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Disney (Theater Release Division)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2019Painting with a Twist partnered with Disney's theater release division for the first time on Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, offering exclusive movie-themed painting experiences. The partnership was designed to expand revenue by attracting family audiences and generating media attention through co-branded events.
• Disney (DVD Release Division)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2019Painting with a Twist continued its partnership with Disney's DVD release division, promoting movie-themed painting events for The Little Mermaid, Captain Marvel, Aladdin, and The Lion King, providing ongoing co-marketing and revenue opportunities for franchisees.
• ASPCAminorOthersColor Me Mine franchisee studios partner with local ASPCA chapters for Painting with a Purpose charitable events, donating up to 50% of event proceeds to the organization.
• Breast Cancer Research FoundationminorOthersFranchise owners partner with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for monthly Painting with a Purpose events, contributing charitable donations and raising brand awareness through cause marketing.
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)minorOthersFranchise owners partner with JDRF for Painting with a Purpose charitable events, raising funds through royalty-free painting events with proceeds donated to the foundation.
• International Franchise Association (IFA) — VetFran ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPainting with a Twist is a member of the IFA and participates in the VetFran program, offering a 20% discount on the initial franchise fee (from $25,000 to $20,000) to honorably discharged veterans, making franchise ownership more accessible to military veterans.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Muse Paintbar: Operates paint-and-sip studios primarily across the Northeast U.S., offering guided painting sessions with food and beverage service. Directly comparable in format, target guest, and unit economics to Painting with a Twist studios.
• Wine & Design: Paint-and-sip franchise with locations across the U.S. providing public classes and private events. Closely comparable in business model, female 25-55 demographic targeting, and franchise structure to Twist Brands' paint-and-sip brands.
• Board & Brush Creative Studio: National franchise specializing in guided wood sign painting workshops, targeting the same adult female 25-55 social-outing demographic as paint-and-sip studios. Closely aligned business model, guest experience, and franchise economics to Twist Brands.
• AR Workshop: DIY workshop franchise offering hands-on classes in wood signs, home décor, and textile projects. Competes directly for the same female, social, group-occasion guest and operates with a comparable franchise model.
• As You Wish Pottery: Paint-your-own-pottery studio franchise with multiple U.S. locations. Directly comparable to Twist Brands' Color Me Mine and Chesapeake Ceramics subsidiaries in format, family/kid-friendly guest base, and franchise structure.
• Bottle & Bottega: Paint-and-sip studio franchise offering guided painting sessions paired with wine and cocktails. Competes directly with Painting with a Twist for the same adult social-occasion guest and franchise entrepreneurs.
• Painting with a View: Paint-and-sip studio chain with multiple U.S. locations offering guided painting classes with food and beverage service. Comparable guest experience, demographic targeting, and unit-level economics to Painting with a Twist.

Emerging players

• The Painted Pour: Paint-and-sip concept that pairs painting instruction with a broader craft cocktail and wine program. Niche competitor with partial overlap to Twist Brands' social-entertainment positioning but with a narrower footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/pwatcorporate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PaintingwithaTwist
• Facebookfacebook.com/paintingwithatwist
• Instagraminstagram.com/paintingwithatwist
• Pinterestpinterest.com/paintingwatwist

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Twist Brands