Food Franchise

Archive for November, 2009

A franchisee buys a franchise sometimes from the franchisor and sometimes from another franchisee. An established franchisor may not offer you as good of terms in a way of royalty payments and franchise fees. Terms are also depending on supply and demand.

If you consider to become a franchisee it is important to know as much as possible about the laws and regulations. If, for example, the franchising company is in another state and selling you a franchise in a different state, then the franchise regulations in this state where the franchisor is will not help you.

There are websites that carry detailed information on companies willing to offer a franchise to business professionals. If you are interested in a franchise you should gather enough information regarding the business you would like to franchise now or in the future, then the following information could very well save you from complete and utter financial ruin. The internet is often the first place to start looking for information. Information on franchise education programs such as the IFA’s, International Franchise Associations, are recommended for everyone that seek quality information.

Any business entrepreneur would love a franchise that is capable of braving all the market trends. If a business is constantly getting affected by the market fluctuation, its franchise will bear the brunt as well. It is often said that in franchising it is all about winning markets and market shares and standing tall on that brand you are building.

In our history we have had in our mobile car wash industry one-man operations that may work in multiple cities. It appears that consumers have grown wise to the so called multi-level-marketing business opportunity sales tactics. Therefore that form of business model has hijacked a new host, the franchise industry model, and modified its definition. If the Federal Trade Commission is going to decide, that is fine and will continue to serve our nation as it was intended. Changing the rules half way through the franchise game is probably hurting the industry more than helping it.

Normally an automatic renewal of the franchise agreement take place. That means, as long as you do not notify the franchisor that you plan on terminating the contract in advance of the end of the term in writing then it automatically renews and thus you go for another term and at that point are responsible for signing the then current franchise agreement for the next term or future period.

Many persons who opt to open a circuit-training franchise find that the franchise agreement does not grant them the liberty to add amenities as they wish. With contracts which refer everything back to the confidential operations manual, which many times the franchisee has not yet seen at the time of the agreement are vague. The more that is spelled out in advance in the actual agreement is better for the franchisee.

What opportunities are there?

Entrepreneurs working with senior care franchises are the lucky few that will be able to reap the benefits of the huge upswing in population. They will be a part of the top franchise opportunities market since fast food. It is really a multitude of franchise opportunities out there so how does an entrepreneur choose among them. One obvious way is a franchise directory where you will find a list of small business opportunities and franchise organizations. There you will also find helpful articles, press releases, forms and guides, all designed to make your search for a franchise opportunity as straightforward as possible.

Have you considered purchasing your own business? Perhaps you have contemplated being your own boss for some time but don’t know which business is right for you. Or maybe, you have particular interests or experience that would be very useful as an entrepreneur that would allow you to work for yourself and create a comfortable income at the same time. A franchise may be an exciting option because it can offer an already established brand name complete with support and training to get you started. Checking out popular social trends may also help make your business search easier by learning what kinds of franchise businesses are in high demand and yielding the best profit and sales.

While operating your own business may be one of the best decisions you ever make, it can be a much easier venture when you take a look at the many franchises available. There is a franchise for virtually any kind of product or service and as consumer needs change, so do the new and ever growing franchise opportunities. Whether your niche is in the food industry, automobile repair and maintenance or even sports oriented franchises, you are sure to find one that meets your needs and will provide exactly what your customers need and want.

How Social Trends Influence Franchises

Although many aspects of society change over time, there are plenty of trends that remain fairly constant. Food, clothing and shelter are all necessities that every individual consumer must have in order to survive. There are many long lasting and well known franchises that not only provide necessary products and services but also keep up-to-date with the newest ideas and innovations in the marketplace. Being aware of the latest social trends and fads can keep businesses ahead of the game. As a franchise owner, you can benefit from the knowledge and extensive research of the franchisor while having the freedom of operating your own business.

Let’s take a look at the food industry. Since many consumers are often busy with little time to spend in meal planning and preparation, they often seek healthy yet convenient foods. So franchises such as JuiceBlendz offers high quality, nutritious and fresh smoothies and more for the customer who wants to enjoy a healthy alternative. And Whata Lotta Pizza provides a menu with items made from the best ingredients and most wholesome selections. These are only a few of the many food franchises that cater to society’s interest and desire for food that is healthy yet fast and convenient.

And not all of the franchises that offer products for the health savvy customer are eat in. The New York Butcher Shoppe offers a huge selection of top quality hand cut steaks that are suitable for any diet or healthy eating plan. From premium Angus Beef to prepared entrees and even wines and cheeses, this franchise has what it takes to keep customers coming back for more. Eating healthy was never easier, or faster! As a franchise owner in this industry, you can find success while providing the kind of popular products that sell.

Time is of the Essence

In today’s fast paced society, many people find it difficult to get everything done with work, family, finances and many other time constraints. Considering a franchise that can provide a product or service that would make it easier for your customers is a great way to find success as an entrepreneur. Time is of utmost importance to most people and when they find something that will save time; they are definitely willing to give it a try. And if your franchise offers excellent customer service and quality, your business will reap the benefits!

Remember the old adage, “Time is money?” It couldn’t be more relevant than it is in today’s society. Not only is your franchise saving your clients time and money; it would be the way to significantly increase your own sales and profit too. Automotive franchises such as Oil Can Henry’s and Midas pride themselves on fast, efficient service at affordable prices. Satisfied customers and great franchise advertising will increase your sales and client base quickly and ensure that your franchise is a success.

Often customers are so busy they are working more than they are at home. This is where great cleaning and maintenance franchises can make you a very successful business owner. Need a Maid and House Doctors Handyman Service are just two of the franchises that cater to those clients who just don’t have time to do these everyday household tasks themselves. And as society becomes more and more time strapped, these franchise opportunities will increase.

Baby Boomers in Need

The number of aging consumers is growing at a very rapid rate. And as it does, so too does the need for home healthcare and senior care franchises. Many baby boomers are reaching the age where they need help around the house and for personal care. The growing list of franchise opportunities for those interested in this kind of business is expanding constantly.

Choose Home Senior Care provides excellent home care for those needing non-medical assistance and personal care with the greatest compassion and understanding. And Seniors Helping Seniors is a novel franchise opportunity where seniors who wish to own, operate or simply work in home healthcare can provide much needed services to other seniors who require assistance.

With so many franchises available, there are a number of choices that can be a dream come true for potential franchise owners. Paying attention to current social trends and changes in today’s society may be very useful as you decide which franchise is the one for you. If having your own business is in your future, a franchise may be a great place to start.

You’re on the right path for a successful start running your own business. You know this because franchise businesses have a higher success rate than independently started business and you chose to open a franchise. Even though that is true, you will still have to make decisions as a business owner that will affect the successfulness of your franchises future! Once you have made the decision on which franchise you will start, you will need to decide where to open that franchise. This will not be the first or last time you will have heard this but, location is everything! Your automotive franchise should be location near car dealerships and high traffic streets or should be seen from a major highway to increase your chances of success!

Choosing where to open your franchise will still be a creative process! You want your business to be in the best location that it will thrive the best in. There are a few other things to consider in this decision.

The first thing you should do is ask your franchisor for advice. The reason that franchises are successful is because they are already maintaining several locations with successful procedures in place. So they should be able to assist with ideas for where to open your franchise since they have most likely already opened a few. However it is your business and you will want to consider other factors as well. Keep in mind that they may have regulation for your franchising location that you will need to adhere to as well.

One thing to consider is the locations visibility. If you can’t see the business from the road how will they even know that it is there. If the view to your location is obstructed by trees, other buildings or is in a bad angle from the road in a plaza this can decrease your sales since people may simply not know you are there.

Accessibility is another factor to take into consideration .How easy will it be for customers to get to your door? Things to look at are traffic flows and lights. You would like to be in a busy place since more people will become familiar with your business however if there are no traffic lights to help people get to and from your business they may be discouraged from even going in the first place.

Chances are you are going to be located near other businesses. You should use your creative thought process to choose a location that is near businesses that could possible bring you more business. For example, you could open an auto body shop near an insurance office. If you could establish a good reputation with the insurance company they could recommend that their customers chose you to handle their car’s problems.

A little competition is good, but be careful. You will need to know what you are going up against. If you so chose to open a pizza shop across from another pizzeria that has been there for years and the town claims it as the #1 restaurant in the area, it might be a little too much to compete with.

Make sure the area is favorable to what you are trying to sell or do. If there is no need for your business it will not succeed.

Choosing where to establish your franchise will be a big decision and will take much thought, but remember these practical guidelines and do your research before you make your final decision!

Domino’s Pizza Inc was first founded by the Monaghan brothers in 1960. During that time, it was named as DomiNick’s. With a low budget capital, both brothers sought out to make their company a leading pizza company.

However a year later, James Monaghan sold all of his shares to his brother, Tom, for a Volkswagen Beetle. Five years after the selling of shares, the name company was renamed as Domino’s Pizza.

Complementing their pizza with delectable side dishes, Domino’s Pizza also concentrated on delivering their delivery on time. This trend became a hit with the locals to the extend of opening new franchising companies in the later years. This move proved to be a successful one as it cash in royal payments and revenues.

Domino’s Pizza well planned marketing strategy was their main reason to their success. Categorising their operation into three different subsidiaries, Domino’s Pizza was a company to be reckoned with.

They were wise to have a subsidiary to manufacture and distribute their production to further compliment their franchisee stores nation wide. Their distribution and production center were strategically placed in order to cover the franchisee stores in their vicinity.

In total they have seventeen regional dough manufacturing and food distribution centers. One distribution center to provide equipment and supplies to certain parts of their domestic and international stores and one vegetable processing distribution center.

With great financial status, they have made a name of themselves as they became official pizza of NASCAR and the official pizza of Michigan International Speedway in 2006.

In 2004, Domino’s Pizza Inc, began their stock trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the new ticker symbol “DPZ.” Currently the price of DPZ is tagged at USD$12.88 with a market capacity of 768.00M as of 7th March 2008.

They have also launched a few charity organisations to support the needy, the physically disabled and also the victims of natural disasters. Such organisations are Pizza Donations and The Partners Foundation.

After forty-eight years of pizza making, they have successfully managed three thousands international franchising stores and five thousands domestic stores. As of January 1, 2006, they have also successfully ended their annual income with USD$1,511,597,000 and had an approximately of 13,500 employees.

Pizza Hut is one of the most famous fast food franchises in the world and this success is reflected in the cost and content of its franchise opportunity. Like Long John Silver’s and KFC, Pizza Hut is one of the franchise chains that has been taken over by Yums and therefore franchisees are able to take advantage of the benefits that attached to a large multi-national corporation.

As the name suggest Pizza Hut specialises in the sale of pizza, either for consumption in their restaurants or as a take away or home delivery. The company states that it is part of the largest restaurant chain in the world and that Pizza Hut itself has a global presence of in excess of 20,000 franchisees.

As part of the Yum group of franchise chains, the costs and financial expectations required of a potential Pizza Hut franchisee is similar to the other in the group, including those mentioned above. In this respect, to include the cost of the design, renovation and purchase of the outlet premises, there is a requirement for a total investment of up to $1 million depending upon the size and location of the outlet.

The franchisee is expected to have a net worth of around $1.4 million, of which around $360,000 is expected to be liquid. They will be required to pay a franchise fee of around $25,000, although this figure is also flexible and will rise with larger units. Royalty fees are 5% and in addition to this each franchisee is required to contribute towards the corporation’s $600 million annual promotional and advertising campaign.

Full training is provided for franchisees and their employees and there is the opportunity to learn leadership and business skills at Yum’s own university, which has standards similar to those of a main line university.

The Pizza Hut has its own unique brand and this is coordinated throughout the store design, stationery and promotional material. Menus and promotional offers are controlled by the central corporation, so the amount of flexibility available to the franchisee in terms of the products they offer is limited.

A full and comprehensive help and support service is available to franchisees at all times following their franchise purchase and they can also expect to receive regular visit from the regional teams, which are designed to maintain quality and control, in addition to ensuring that the franchisee is making the correct returns from which royalty fees are calculated.

If you ever saw yourself as a Pizza outlet owner, Pizza Hut, with the backing of a multi-national organisation, is one of the better franchises in this sector.

The coffee franchise business opportunity has grown in popularity, especially in the last five years. The reason? Demand is on the rise. Coffee consumption has increased dramatically over the years and specialty coffee is all the rage.

When investors see statistics like the fact that half of adults in the United States consume over 4 cups of coffee each day — it gets them excited. In this article, we will discuss what you need to know before buying a coffee franchise business.

Demand is a good indicator that investing in a coffee business is a smart financial proposition. However, there is more to it than just having demand. When somebody wants coffee, they have to choose between several different options. What will your business you invest in offer them that they can’t get anywhere else and that they want?

You have to make sure to invest in a franchise that offers a valuable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Otherwise all the demand in the world won’t help — it will be met somewhere else.

When looking for competitive advantages evaluate what other coffee businesses in your area are going after. The marketplace. For example, let’s look at the leader, Starbucks. You will probably have considerable trouble trying to compete with them for their market share.

However, who says we can’t go after another share of the market? For example, you could put up a drive through coffee franchise right across the street from Starbucks and probably be successful.

Why? Because your target market are the people who are more concerned about quickly purchasing a cup of coffee than they are about enjoying the atmosphere and personalization offered by Starbucks. That is an example of a competitive advantage.

This is one of the most important factors to evaluate before purchasing a business. In addition to demand and competition you need to educate yourself on the options available to you. This means knowing what kind of budget you have to work with and the various franchise opportunities that are available within that budget.

There are different answers for different budgets. For the small budget, you can consider a coffee kiosk. A medium-size budget may be perfect for a coffee drive through business, while a bigger budget can be used to invest in a franchise with an established brand name.

Keep these facts in mind when evaluating different possible investments in the coffee franchise business.

I have been a die hard Red Sox fan for most of my life. They have always been an easy team to root for as they battle each year with the New York Yankees ( the eveil empire) and any of the other AL EAST challengers. Fenway Park is in a great location in Boston. A short walk for students from Boston University or Simmons, a quick Greenline ride for kids from Northeastern and Boston College, a Redline trip from Harvard or MIT. The walking distance from the Kenmore Square Station makes it an easy mass transit commute which is a good thing because parking in the area is a game day nightmare. They are great spots in the area for a pre-game or post game meal with my favorite being BERTUCCI’S, www.bertuccis.com in Kenmore. The pizza is great as are the salads and it is clean. Once inside Fenway you cannot help but get caught up in the history of the place. The home of Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Johhny Pesky, Carl Yastrzemski and Baseball’s newest Hall of Fame, www.baseballhalloffame.org inductee. Jim Rice, a very quiet person who was the most domiant hitter in the AL from 1975 until 1979. His best year was 1978 but Red Sox fans will play over on their memory forever as to how the 1975 World Series would have turned out had Rice not broke his wrist in September. Losing to the Reds in 7 games was a very tough pill to swallow back then. Then again in 1978, the fateful one game playoff against the Yankees, the “Bucky Dent” game. Fans will never forgive Bill Buckner for his mishaps in the 1986 World Series, but I still do not understand how Mike Torrez could have served one up to a great fielding, singles hitter. Sensible people would not want to believe it, but did the “Curse of the Bambino” really exist ?

Back to Fenway. They have done some very nice renovations to the Stadium to enhance the product they put out of the field. Glorifed in the 2004 movie, Fever Pitch, the stadium appears to be a roomy friewndly enviroenment. friendly it is, as long as you root for the Red Sox and that is okay, it is their park. Roomy, it is anything but. If you have long legs or wear a bigger suit than a 42 you will be very uncomfortable throughout the game. The marketing genius is there, from the Green Monster seats to the open car free plaza on Yawkey Way, but once you get to your seat, it will be one of the most uncomfortable 3-4 hours you will spend.

With the curse long eradicated by the amazing teams of 2004 and 2007, Red Sox fans sit in that ancient stadium in the uniqiue position of not only rooting for the best team in baseball, but debatably the best franchise in baseball as well.

My kids are now selecting the Soz games they want to go to this summer as we plan our baseball schedule. Tight fit, no leg room, but there is no place I would rather be; watching the Sox with my kids in that old, dirty, nostalgic band box!

One of the city’s beloved Austin originals, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas (or simply the Drafthouse, as many Austinite’s call it) have been around since the late 1990s, when the first opened downtown on Colorado Street, as a second-run theater. To date, there are nine Drafthouses in all, with four in Austin (the newest having just opened at the historic Ritz Theater on 6th Street), one each in Houston, Katy, San Antonio, and Rio Grande, Texas and even one in Winchester, Virginia.

While only nine Drafthouses have permanent addresses, the theater’s Rolling Roadshow takes their signature films and fun to locations worldwide.

What makes it any different than your run-of-the-mill theater franchise? Well, for one (as the name implies), they serve beer. The Drafthouse offers a full menu of delicious, reasonably-priced movie-themed fare. Sure, they offer a full range of the traditional movie staples popcorn, candy but how about an order of potato skins, red pepper hummus, or chips and salsa to nibble on during your favorite flick? If you’re in the mood for a full meal, pick from any one of their sandwiches (the “Smoky and the Bacon” BLT is a great choice), pizzas (”The Godfather” is an Italian feast) or full meal salads they’ve even got a $5 Shake. To be honest the food is somewhat average but the whole experience of getting some food and watching a movie is a lot of fun.

In addition to the regular menu, the Drafthouse also has frequent movie feast specials particularly to accompany new releases featuring prix fix menus matched specifically to the film in question. The Drafthouse is known for its outrageous events, but these film feasts are some of the most popular (take the Lord of the Rings marathon movie feast, which featured all three films and a full day of hobbit-themed fare including elevensies for a whopping $100+ per ticket).

Other must-see events at the Drafthouse are the infamous Master Pancake Theater, which features comedians commenting on a wide variety of films in a Mystery Science Theater 3000 kind of way. They also host and annual Austin Air Guitar Championship, weekly prime-time TV nights for popular shows like “Lost” and 24, classic movie quote-alongs, and even music fests, like the “90s Alternative Sing-Along.” There is no limit to how far the masterminds behind Austin’s iconic theater will go to entertain (and sometimes shock) its loyal patrons.

One downside is the Drafthouse does not allow children under six (except for designated matinees), and each Drafthouse theater is relatively small. The theaters are made smaller still, by the fact that every other row of seating has been removed to accommodate the scurrying waiters who run back and forth from the theater to the kitchen throughout the show, wining and dining each happy patron.

Anyone who lives in Austin will tell you, this town is one-of-a-kind, thanks in large part to the many Austin establishments that help define the city and its character. Without these unique establishments Austin would not be the same.

Kansas City, Mo.After years of being overlooked and neglected, the Midwestern metropolitan Kansas City is reportedly seeing a therapist to counter what are being described as “feelings of inadequacy.”

Despite less crime, a larger population and simply being a more pleasant place to visit, the renowned City of Fountains has failed to get out of the shadow of its cross-state nemesis St. Louis.

Many claim that the problem stems from simply being “too damn nice.”

“Being elected as having the cleanest tap water in an American city, well that’s pleasant, but it doesn’t earn you much respect,” resident Kay Gates lamented. “In St. Louis, if you complain about the tap water, they’ll cut you with the business end of a broken Bud Light bottle.”

Others blame the city’s name, which has resulted in problems ranging from reams of misaddressed letters to hundreds of thousands of confused fifth-graders nationwide.

While many events have contributed to the recent downturn in the city’s self respect, the sports world has been especially cruel to the city. The tipping point seems to be a pitiful season start from the Kansas City Royals on the heels of the St. Louis Cardinals World Championship recent win.

Another significant sports blow came with the 1995 move of the Las Angeles Rams to St. Louis – just a year after the retirement of Kansas City legend Joe Montana – and St. Louis’ subsequent Super Bowl win in 2000. This series of events had left the western city feeling emasculated.

“I just don’t understand why Missouri doesn’t recognize us as the crown of the state. We’re better at so much,” insisted KC resident Bob Adler. “I mean, we have the whole barbecue thing going for us. All they have is toasted ravioli and pizza that tastes like cardboard. What’s so great about that?”

Adler added that, in his opinion, the Gateway Arch looked like “half of a 120-story zero.”

Therapy for Kansas City will include several steps including:

* Repeating self-affirming phrases such as “I am a unique, special and important city.”

* Visualizing itself as the state capitol

* Keeping a journal of successes

* Recruiting an NBA franchise.

When contacted for this story, the city of St. Louis was unaware of the issue, stating “Aren’t they in Kansas?”

Gourmet coffee franchises make for a great investment opportunity. However, too much of a good thing can be a negative, especially with market saturation. If you’re contemplating investing in a gourmet coffee franchise then there are some things you have to do first to increase your chances of success. We’ll discuss them in this article.

Gourmet coffee is growing in popularity. In fact, there has been a 76% increase in the consumption of gourmet coffee in the last five years. Starbucks has been a big leader in this area, but they are far from being the only ones. With that has also come a rash of gourmet coffee franchise opportunities.

The profit margins are high, the demand is high, and so naturally the competition is high. There are two favorable circumstances where you can make a gourmet or specialty coffee franchise work for you.

The first circumstance is the best one, but is also the rarest. This involves being the first in a certain area to open a gourmet coffee franchise where there is adequate demand to support your business. This lets you steal pretty much all of the market share and you don’t face the pressure of competition. If you feel you have a situation like this on your hands then it would be a wise move forward and invest in a gourmet coffee franchise.

The second circumstance occurs much more often – that’s where there is a high demand, but there is also a lot of competition. Don’t think that competition is necessarily a bad thing because it is not. It shows that a gourmet coffee business can work in that area. However, you must take someone else’s market share to become successful.

There’s only one way to do this. You must offer the consumer something extra they can get nowhere else. This could be a better price, more convenience, a relaxing atmosphere, or a certain type of specialization or other innovative idea. Do this and your odds of success will skyrocket. Don’t do this and your odds of surviving in business at all will be very low.

So when it comes to evaluating gourmet coffee franchises first you have to look at your area and calculate what you perceive to be the demand and competition. Then start looking at other coffee franchises that offer competitive advantages in your marketplace. Start a franchise that can compete by offering something better to the consumer.

Check out different business models of these franchises and compare their strengths and weaknesses to understand the differences. At the same time, sometimes you can realize a competitive advantage simply by negotiating a very fair franchise agreement. Also, it will depend on the amount of investment you can make for the franchise as well.

Keep these things in mind when evaluating different gourmet coffee franchises.