International Master Franchise Opportunities

The exhibitors at IFE2008 included not just American brands, but also Canadian and Australian companies seeking international Master Franchisors and Area Developers. The exhibitors operate in a range of sectors such as food and beverage retail, children's education and entertainment, professional and commercial services and many more.

The international aspect was reinforced by the sponsorship of the expo by the International Franchise Association and the support of the US Department of Commerce through their International Buyer Programme.

By the time the doors closed on Sunday afternoon, over 14,000 attendees visited the expo, a significant number of whom were international visitors from Ireland and the UK, South America, the Middle and Far East and Africa, there to research new business investment opportunities. But what exactly were they looking for?

Franchise Owners award Master Franchise Licences to organisations and individuals in specific regions. The licence gives the Master Franchisor the right to operate the business in the specific territory, using the brand name and trademarks, and in accordance with the systems and procedures developed by the Franchise Owner. Often the Franchise Owner and the Master Licence holder work together to tailor the franchise to the target market. It is common that the Master Licence holder then operates a unit franchise for a period of time to finetune the business model. The Franchise Owner supports the Master Franchise Licence holder in development of the territory and may provide ongoing support in areas such as product innovation, international marketing and back office administration.

Once the business model is finetuned, the Master Franchise Licence holder awards unit licences to others to operate specific units in the region. The Master Franchise Licence holder supports the single-unit franchisees in development of the unit level businesses.

The Master Franchise Licence holder invests in the initial licence fee and the development of the brand for the local market. In return, they receive licence fees from the single unit franchisees and a share of ongoing management fees payable by the single unit franchisees.

The right Master Franchise Licence may be an excellent investment for:

• Financiers backed by an experienced team of professionals who can implement the franchise.
• Property owners or developers with premises in good locations.
• Business owners interested in applying their extensive business experience in another business sector.

But not everyone can become a Master Franchise Licence holder. Franchise Owners will want a Master Franchisee with specific experience in the sector, a proven track record building a multiple outlet business and the financial strength to develop the business.

SO WHERE DOES ONE START?

With many thousands of franchise brands worldwide and many more coming on stream every month, the challenge is finding the Master Franchise opportunity that is right for you.

Attend Franchise Expos
Franchise Expos are held in almost every market every year. In addition to the International Franchise Expo in Washington, others to consider include the Irish Franchise Exhibition in Dublin in November, the National Franchise Exhibition in Birmingham in October and The British & International Franchise Exhibition in London in February 2009.

Magazines and Website
Take a look at websites such as www.irishfm.net, www.thefm.net, www.europeanfranchising.net and www.franchise-international.net and subscribe to magazines such as The Irish Franchise Magazine and The Franchise Magazine.

Consultants
Contact specialist franchise consultants such as Franchise Development Services.

Embassies
Many foreign embassies provide information on franchise investment opportunities. For example, the US embassy includes contacts for the US Department of Commerce which supports franchise investment through its International Buyer Programme.

Among the franchise opportunities that caught the eye at the International Franchise Expo 2008 were:

LightSpa
LightSpa offers a safe, effective and affordable laser whitening procedure for teeth. Performed by trained teeth whitening professionals, this is an innovative alternative to traditional, more expensive procedures offered by dental practices. The procedure is an ideal addition to beauty salons and spas.

Duraclean
Founded in 1930, American company Duraclean now offer 14 major cleaning services from carpet cleaning to restoration after fire and water damage. Franchising since 1947, the business has almost 350 franchisees and 18 corporate owned stores across the US.

La Salsa
In 1979 La Salsa first opened as a chain of Mexican 'taquerias', neighbourhood restaurants where locals and gourmets alike, gather to eat the "specialty of the house" - the soft tacos, which are so much a part of the Mexican culture. Today, La Salsa owns and operates an expanding chain of quick-casual restaurants specialising in tacos, burritos and other items served in the style of Mexico.

Baja Fresh
In August 1990 Baja Fresh Mexican Grill opened its first restaurant featuring all-fresh, traditional fire-grilled Mexican favourites as a fresh alternative to fast food. With over 300 restaurants across the US, the time is right to build the brand internationally.

Parmasters Golf Training Centres
Originating in Canada, Parmasters Golf is the world's first year-round indoor golf training centre franchise to guarantee results. With centres in Canada, the USA and China, Parmasters are looking for Master Franchise Licence holders across Europe. Franchise Business Review recently named Parmasters a Top 50 Franchise in North America for the third year in a row.

Text: Eamon Curtin