The Irish Franchise Awards 2006
Winners
Retail Franchise of the Year – O’BRIENS SANDWICH BARS.
Service Franchise of the Year – CARTRIDGE WORLD IRELAND.
Retail Franchisee of the Year – GARETH AND NICOLA JONES, THE BAGEL FACTORY, GRAFTON STREET AND BLANCHARDSTOWN SC, DUBLIN.
Service Franchisee of the Year – KEITH KENNEALLY, CARTRIDGE WORLD, NAAS AND NEWBRIDGE.
Best Emerging Franchise – HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE.
Franchise Person of the Year – FIACRA NAGLE, CEO, O’BRIENS SANDWICH BARS.
The Awards were generously sponsored by Franchise Direct and the Irish Franchise Exhibition.
More on the winners
Retail Franchise of the Year, O’Briens Sandwich Bars. Established in 1998 by Brody Sweeney, now its chairman, O’Briens has more than 270 stores providing the healthy food option in 13 countries across Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa, including 110 in Ireland. Fiacra Nagle, former managing director, became CEO of O’Briens in January 2006. The group has rolled out a third generation store concept over the past 18 months to ensure that it can continue to compete effectively in a very competitive market. O’Briens is introducing a more ethical way of doing business with organic deli dishes and snacks, Fairtrade organic tea and a coffee blend that includes Fairtrade beans. Speciality soups, tossed salads, snacks and a made-to-order juice and smoothie bar are also part of the product portfolio. O’Briens is the Premier Worldwide Sponsor of the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation.
Contact Elaine Mellon at O’Brien: 086 812 3704. www.obriens.ie
Service Franchise of the Year, Cartridge World Ireland. Gerry and Noreen Smyth acquired the master licence for Ireland in 2004 and now have 41 stores around the country. Based in Galway, they have worked tirelessly around a busy family life to build the brand to national status, and Cartridge World is now the industry leader in print cartridge refill. They have brought international cartridge refill experience to all corners of Ireland, and further expansion is planned. “The Franchise of the Year award recognises not just our efforts but those of the great team that makes up Cartridge World Ireland, namely our franchisees and head office support staff who provide such a wonderful service to our customers across all sectors,” said Gerry. “Our Cartridge World Refill Revolution really does create savings for our customers and benefits the environment. We encourage everyone to try our service!”
Contact Gerry & Noreen Smyth at Cartridge World Ireland: 091 764 044.
www.cartridgeworld.ie
Retail Franchisee of the Year, Gareth and Nicola Jones, The Bagel Factory. This brother and sister team took over the Grafton Street branch of The Bagel Factory in March 2005. Nicola, with a business and marketing background, and Gareth, coming from a banking career, soon doubled the previous turnover of the outlet through sheer hard work, long hours and dedication. Within six months they opened their second Bagel Factory franchise in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. They now generate a turnover of approximately €1m per annum between their two outlets. The Bagel Factory was established in March 2003 by Graeme Beere and David Zebedee, and there are now 32 outlets, including four in Northern Ireland. The Bagel Factory provides a healthy alternative product, low in fat, salt and cholesterol, and high in energy giving carbohydrates.
Contact Gareth at The Bagel Factory: 086 406 2505. Contact Nicola: 086 820 8547. www.bagelfactory.ie
Service Franchisee of the Year, Keith Kenneally, Cartridge World. Keith is one of the first Cartridge World franchisees to be trained in Ireland. Together with his partner, Deborah Jacob, he has built a successful multi-store franchise, opening a first Cartridge World store in Naas in 2004, a second in Newbridge in 2005 and currently activating a third. “This award is not just for us but for the team working with us,” said Keith. “We have a young family and love working in a business that makes a difference, where everyone can so easily make a positive impact on the future of the planet. Cartridge World gives an international guarantee of print refill quality and considerable savings to all customers, and we are pleased to give our customers the very best quality and service!”
Contact Keith Kenneally & Deborah Jacob at Cartridge World Naas: 045 898 662.
Email: cwnaas@cartridgeworld.ie
Best Emerging Franchise, Home Instead Senior Care, provides services to the elderly to enable them to live in their own homes for longer than would otherwise be possible. Services include personal care, which might involve assistance with walking, dressing, meal preparation and medication reminders, and home care such as light housekeeping, laundry and bringing clients for medical appointments and shopping. People with early dementia or Alzheimer’s can also be assisted and convalescent care is available for those who have recently been in hospital. With its launch in Ireland in 2005, Home Instead Senior Care introduced the new business concept of non-medical, in-home care services for seniors. The success of Home Instead Senior Care has created a new industry in which six new franchise offices now offer in-home, non-medical care.
Contact Ed Murphy at Home Instead Senior Care: 01 206 8022. Email: edmurphy@homeinstead.ie
Franchise Person of the Year, Fiacra Nagle, CEO, O’Briens Sandwich Bars, is considered to have made a valuable contribution towards raising the profile of franchising in Ireland. Fiacra became CEO of O’Briens in January 2006 and has driven the business forward. The group now has more than 270 stores providing the healthy food option in 13 countries across Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa, including 110 in Ireland. “The Irish franchise industry is one of the enterprise sectors which continues to drive the development of our economy, contributing to employment, new and innovative products for consumers, and general wealth creation,” said Fiacra. “I am delighted that O’Briens has contributed to the development of the industry in Ireland and also that I may have supported in some small way personally the progress of the Irish franchise sector.”
Contact Elaine Mellon at O’Briens: 086 812 3704. www.obriens.ie
The winners were chosen from the following shortlists of nominees
FRANCHISE – RETAIL/SERVICE
Abrakebabra; The bagel Bar; O'Briens Sandwich Bars; Snap Printing; Action International; Cartridge World; Cleaning Doctor; The Bagel Factory; Chem Dry
FRANCHISEE – RETAIL/SERVICE
Franchisees from: O'Briens Sandwich Bars; Eddie Rocket’s; The Bagel Factory; Subway; Cartridge World; Ladies Workout Express; Ultimate Woman Fitness; Snap Printing; Contours Express; Prontaprint
BEST EMERGING FRANCHISE
The Bagel Factory; Home Instead Senior Care; Computer Troubleshooters; Ultimate Woman Fitness; Fastway Couriers; Munster Tool Company; Contours Express
FRANCHISE PERSON OF THE YEAR
Gerry Smyth, Cartridge World; Ray Cowzer, The bagel Bar; David Zebedee, Abrakebabra; Fiacra Nagle, O’Briens Sandwich Bars; Michael Bradley, Irish Franchise Association