FRANCHISE IRELAND

Spring 2007

(The online newsletter of the Irish Franchise Association, 30 Tolka Valley Business Park, Ballyboggan Road, Dublin 11. T- 01 8134555. E- michaelbradley@irishfranchiseassociation.com
Chairman - John Green; CEO - Michael Bradley)
www.irishfranchiseassociation.com

MESSAGE FROM JOHN GREEN, CHAIRMAN, IRISH FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION –

“I summarise below what I think were the highlights of 2006 - another record year for franchising in Ireland:

The Irish Franchise Association recorded a 20%+ increase in membership, including new franchisors and franchise consultants and is presently implementing a five-year strategic plan including a new Board of Directors (see News and Views section below) and enhanced membership ethics.
There has been sustained growth of at least 12% with 260 systems in operation here now, 2,550 franchisees/outlets and 22,000+ employed directly. We expect this progress to be maintained if not bettered this year.
The Irish Franchise Association continues to lobby Government on the potential of the franchise sector for the economy, seeking appropriate recognition and support.
Increased interest in franchising as a means of starting or expanding a business was evidenced by excellent attendances at our six regional seminars/franchisees-wanted road shows and presentations to third-level colleges, Enterprise Boards and business organisations. Our website is enjoying record numbers of hits and franchising has attracted good publicity in the media.
Our seminars, “How to Franchise Your Business – An Introduction” attracted many business owners who are interested in looking at the business-format franchise model as a means of expansion, and new indigenous franchises are starting to come on the market as a result.
The Irish Franchise Exhibition, held at the RDS, Dublin in November, was very well supported by a record number of exhibitors and visitors. Potential entrepreneurs are recognising the better success rate of starting a franchised business compared to starting on their own – "franchising means being in business for yourself but not by yourself".
The standard and number of entries for the Irish Franchise Awards exceeded expectations and some 250 guests attended the Awards Presentation Dinner at the Davenport Hotel, Dublin.

I wish all our members a happy and successful 2007.”

John Green, Chairman, Irish Franchise Association

NEW MEMBERS

We are pleased to welcome the following new members of the Irish Franchise Association:

Handyman Matters- is a “one-stop fix all” repair service specialising in jobs that are too small for contractors but too complicated for householders and business owners. For potential franchisees, experience in the industry is an advantage but it’s not essential. What’s more important is the franchisee’s ability to build a business and manage a team of local handymen. Started in the US ten years ago, Handyman Matters is ranked in Entrepreneur magazine’s list of Top 101 home-based franchises and in Franchise Business Review’s top 50 for 2006. Contact: Owen Corcoran 0868560789/ owen@handymanmatters.ie or Tony Fitzpatrick, Franchise Development Manager 0872449186/ mailto:tony@handymanmatters.ie.

Auditel - are the UK’s premier cost and purchase management specialists who help to lower the cost of doing business for their clients. Auditel is a unique white-collar, home-based franchise for self-motivated professionals who are looking for an exciting new business opportunity, with better work-life balance, control over their future and potential financial success. Franchisees are given the finest marketing and technical training and support in the industry. Contact: Laura March, recruitment@auditel.net, Tel: +44 (0)1962863915.

NEWS and VIEWS

The new Board of Directors of the Irish Franchise Association, elected in January 2007, is -

Paul Fagan, Master Licensor for both ActionCOACH Business Coaching and Aussie Pet Mobile
John Green, Master Franchisor, Chem-Dry Ireland : elected Chairman of the Irish Franchise Association
Andy Hennessy, Master Franchisor, Fastway Couriers
Bill Holohan, principal of Bill Holohan and Associates, Solicitors, Cork and Dublin : elected Honorary Legal Adviser to the Irish Franchise Association
Dave Killeen, Managing Partner, Killeen & Associates, Franchise Consultants
Ed Murphy, Master Franchisor, Home Instead Senior Care
Fiacra Nagle, CEO, O’Briens Sandwich Bars: elected Deputy Chairman of the Irish Franchise Association
Colette Pennick, Business Development Director, the streat franchising ltd
Tom Shanahan, Master Franchisor, Kendlebell: elected Treasurer of the Irish Franchise Association

(See our website www.irishfranchiseassociation.com for more detailed biographies)

YO! Sushi
David Zebedee, of Abrakebabra and the Bagel Factory, has taken on the master franchise for Yo! Sushi in Ireland and will open the first outlet next May. It is the UK's leading conveyor belt sushi chain. YO! Sushi food is fresh, seasonal and prepared daily by trained chefs, with an array of over 100 staple items to choose from. Contact David at dzebedee@abrakebabra.net.

Agency Express
Agency Express, the UK’s largest ‘For Sale’ board contractor, is extending its network of franchisees across the UK and Ireland. During 2006, a record number of 22 new franchisees joined Agency Express, attracted by its unrivalled position with no national competitor and its 20% market share. The company has recently invested in a new-look website to further enhance its professional image and service to estate agents. Call Samantha Moore on 01603 620044 or see www.agencyexpress.co.uk

CMG Consultants
CMG is an independent Human Resource (HR) and Health & Safety (H&S) consultancy and training organisation. They offer HR and H&S services to all IFA members at very reasonable prices. These services will ensure that a participating member is legally compliant with all Employment and Health & Safety Legislation and more importantly will help them deal with their employees in a consistent, safe, fair and correct manner. CMG will install a legally compliant HR and Health & Safety solution in the organisation and then review and maintain this service, year on year afterwards.
For further information or for a free initial consultation please contact Colin McGlynn on 087 2367700 or by email at cmcglynn@cmgconsultants.ie

O’Briens Sandwich Bars
O’Briens were chosen as shortlist finalist in two categories at the 2007 Franchise Marketing Awards in the UK. The Awards are held in recognition of the industry's most innovative and effective marketing campaigns for products, services and franchisee recruitment. O’Briens will run a month-long campaign across all UK and Ireland stores in April to highlight their unique coffee blend, which is sourced direct from the growers in Ethiopia and blended by master-roasters in Italy. See www.obriens.ie.

Bagel Factory
Bagel Factory plan to open a further sixteen outlets nationwide to add to their existing twenty-six in Ireland and UK.
Contact David at dzebedee@abrakebabra.net.

Ladies Workout Express
Ladies Workout Express continues its rapid expansion and has opened 4 new major gym locations this year in Leeds, Bray, Liverpool and its new headquarters in Belfast. Morley, Leeds is their biggest gym with 4,000 sq feet - three times the size of the average Ladies 30 minute gym. They seek further franchise partners across Ireland and the UK.
Contact Chris.Donaldson@O2.co.uk

the streat
Ireland’s newest and fastest-growing café franchise, the streat, recently celebrated the official opening of its first café south of the border from Northern Ireland. Already boasting twenty-one outlets in the North, the new café in Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork has become the flagship for the streat concept in Southern Ireland. The Cork café opens seven days a week with a fresh-to-go deli bar and all-day comfortable seating for breakfast through to early evening. The existing unit has undergone extensive refurbishment to create the fresh welcoming style that the streat is renowned for.
Contact 028 90 424280, e-mail info@thestreat.com or visit www.thestreat.com

whichfranchise.ie
whichfranchise.ie is a provider of free and impartial franchise information and advice is offering all Irish Franchise Association members free online promotion. As well as a free basic entry in our Irish opportunities directory, we can also add your news or Irish franchisee case studies to the site. “Our case study section is one of the most popular sections of whichfranchise.ie. It allows visitors to read about real people who have taken the next step to buying a franchise; making their dream of buying a franchise more realistic. For the franchisor it provides potential franchisees with a more "down-to-earth" look at the day-to-day running of their business,” commented Suzanne Donald, Marketing Manager, whichfranchise.ie. Contact Suzanne@whichfranchise.ie

Snap Printing
The design, print and promotional products specialists have just announced the opening of their twenty-third centre. The new centre in Wexford is owned by Neil and Mags Carty. Neil joins Snap Printing from Canon where he was National Sales Manager. Snap continue to look for franchisees who are capable of opening new centres in this very challenging but rewarding business.
Contact Muiris Murphy on 01 4660525

Esquires Coffee Houses
Esquires will open their 11th unit in May in a prime location in Ennis. Esquires will also be opening a unit in Kilkenny this year with further openings due to take place in Dublin, Gorey, Tipperary and Limerick. Other locations are actively being pursued at present and Franchise applications for all locations are now being considered. For further details, contact our Franchise enquiry line on 091 700055 or e-mail esquirescoffee@eircom.net

Munster Tool Co
Munster Tool has just opened its Mayo/Sligo franchise territory with a local franchisee. Munster Tool Co was founded in 1980, and distributes an extensive range of tools and equipment from the world's leading suppliers to automotive customers throughout Ireland. Having started in a small shop in Mallow town centre, the business now operates from a custom-built warehouse and administrative centre just outside Mallow and they launched their strategy to develop a franchise network in 2004 and remain on target to achieve their goal of twenty franchisees by 2009. Contact Eamon Curtin - eamon@munstertoolco.ie or 086 8256477

Carryout Off Licences
The Carry Out concept was developed in 2003 and today represents the largest off licence operation in Ireland with each store offering consumers a consistently high range of wines and spirits. Individual Carry Out Off Licences are independently minded, each bringing its own unique entrepreneurial spirit to the way the business is run. If you are an existing off-licence operator, a publican with under-utilised space, a budding entrepreneur and/or an individual with a passion for wine, you should contact Stephen Dillon, on 021 431 6098 or info@carryout.ie

Sage solutions
Sage can support the growth and needs of the franchise system and the franchisee for the life of their business. Using our vast experience and knowledge of how businesses operate we have developed a range of solutions to support a growing franchise with cost-effective accounting, payroll, customer relationship management and industry specific solutions. See how Sage solutions have supported growing franchise investments with cost-effective accounting, payroll, customer relationship management and industry specific solutions, and visit: http://www.sage.ie/franchising

Do you have a Safety Statement? Does your staff have Safety Training?
Health & Safety Management is a legal responsibility!! We provide a wide range of Health and Safety Consultancy and Training services for al businesses throughout Ireland. All consultants are fully qualified and competent. Contact us today for more information. Andrew Doyle Safety Consultants Ltd. "Affordable Health and Safety Services", Howth, Co Dublin, Ph/Fax: 01 8397445. www.adsafetyconsultants.ie
info@adsafetyconsultants.com

The Irish Franchise Magazine
Following the success of The Franchise Exhibition held in Belfast last year, the evidence suggests that Northern Ireland offers excellent growth opportunities for companies through franchising. The Irish Franchise Magazine is one vehicle for tapping into these opportunities and the next edition will be going on sale on the 27th April and distributed through the newsagents, hotels and at The Franchise Exhibition on the11th and12th May. Send your franchisee stories and news items to rachels@fdsltd.com. Call 01603 620 301 or visit www.irishfranchisemagazine.net

Graphite HRM
Graphite HRM specialises in delivering a unique HR service, specifically designed to ensure you have confidence in your HR practices and get expert advice whenever you need it. Graphite provide practical HR support to over 1500 businesses throughout Ireland every day and is offering Irish Franchise Association members a full year of support for less than the cost of an HR Consultant for 1 day. In summary it is the easiest and most cost-effective way to keep your business compliant and you the employer protected. The new National Agreement has immediate implications for every business in Ireland, regardless of sector or size. The number of labour inspectors policing HR Compliance will treble in 2007 with random inspections to be carried out of businesses, large and small. Non-compliance of statutory employment records will now cost employers up to €250,000. Call Fran Graydon at Graphite on: (01) 662 7099 for more information.

Thank you for reading FRANCHISE IRELAND.