GLOBAL EYE

A Vietnamese urban tuck shop, superfood cafe, and a locks and bolts business are launching into the Australian franchise scene.

MISSCHU

A rebranded misschu tuckshop is set to rollout nationally, led by managing director Gabi Machado who has joined forces with DC Strategy consultants to expand the network from three to 50 over the next five-plus years.

With a background in private equity, Machado approached the founder of misschu, Nahji Chu, in mid-2010 to bring her popular Sydney-based Vietnamese concept to Melbourne.

“We are currently in discussions with several potential tuckshop owners. Our ideal candidates are individuals and couples who are passionate about healthy food and lifestyles, understand the importance of customer experience and can remain cool and calm under pressure,” said Machado.

Consultants DC Strategy director of recruitment James Young sees the misschu brand and offering as something quite special.

“When it kicked off in 2009, misschu really set the scene for urban street-food brands. The food offering is inspired by Vietnamese and Chinese flavours but the menu is quite unique to misschu. The brand itself is quirky, fun and easy to fall in love with. We are already getting really good traction with this exciting opportunity,” Young said.

New tuckshops will receive direct supply of fresh seafood, vegetables, meat and poultry from local suppliers and will continue to wok-to-order. Continual innovation in every aspect of the business and retaining a freshly cooked product are seen as key points of difference in the roll-out space.

DELICIA ACAI AND PROTEIN BAR

Scott Dempster always knew that

Delicia Acai and Protein Bar would be a franchise. He set it up from the get go to be a nationwide family loving franchise chain.

“I tried and tested everything. From the beginning I put measures in place to make sure that this would be a franchise,” he said.

Eighteen months after launching his first cafe, his dream has come true and three stores are already running under a franchise model in Adelaide. He is in discussions currently with a potential franchisee in Perth.

Dempster’s hope is to have 50 locations Australia wide and encourages mums and dads who want a little change to come and join his brand.

“We are a very very affordable franchise and we want those down to earth, family oriented people to come and join this growing brand,” he says.

The business owner is passionate about health and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and discovered acai in 2011 on a trip to

Brazil. He even named the café Delicia which is Brazilian for delicious.

Dempster and his wife Katie sold their house in order to get the business started. This was a risk that has certainly paid off.

The husband and wife team have worked “day and night” to make sure all processes are in place for a successful and easy to operate franchise.

LOCK & ROLL

This specialist in windows and doors will be converting to a franchise model.

There is lots of opportunity for potential franchisees interested in all things ‘handy man’.

The business has existed for 11 years and currently has four licensees that are converting to franchisees.

“The plan is to have 20 franchise regions in Sydney and we have mapped it out to 80-100 across Australia,” said Dom Galluccio, general manager.

Once the new franchise model is established in Sydney, Galluccio thinks they’ll look at either Adelaide or Queensland next.

“Our five year plan is to be represented in every state with the franchise model operating,” he said.

Galluccio was brought on as the GM in order to help make the transition from licence group to franchisee.

TAKING STEPS FORWARD

FCA APPOINTS CEO

The Franchise Council of Australia has appointed a new CEO. Mary Aldred will take up the role on 3 April, 2018. Aldred is currently CEO of the Committee for Gippsland, a position she has held for seven years.

Her career also includes political experience. Aldred was an intern in Washingston with a US Senator, and has worked with Bruce Billson, chair of the FCA.

“More than a decade ago, Mary worked with me as part of my Ministerial office team at which time I became aware of her considerable talents and capacity which have been deployed and further developed in the years that followed,” Billson said.

Aldred described the role of CEO at the Franchise Council of Australia as “a once in a generation opportunity to work in the engine room of the national economy. There are transformational challenges and opportunities presenting to the industry,” she said.

"The industry is about people, and I want to drive a renewed focus on the mums and dad working small businesses to create jobs, young people in our industry starting their first job, and building regard and recognition for a sector that contributes $146 billion to the Australian economy," she said.

Aldred left school at 15 to work in her parent's small business, and so brings a real life understanding of small business, said Billson.

FAST FOOD CHAINS DITCH PLASTIC BAGS

Australian owned and operated national brands Red Rooster and Oporto as well as WA fast food favourite Chicken Treat have begun phasing out single-use plastic bags

ith stock no longer being replenished, some restaurants will be plastic bag free in the next month, with all of the network onboard with #banthebag by July 2018.

This will see 8 million plastic bags removed from future circulation and landfill.

BITCOIN TREND HITS FRANCHISING

In February Boost Juice announced it would be the world’s first retailer to give away Bitcoin, currently valued at over $14,500 each.

To win the four Bitcoins, one given away each week, customers had to guess the value of the crypto-currency at 12pm the next day, using the Boost Juice app - the closest prediction winning the Bitcoin.

Christian McGilloway, Boost Juice’s chief technology innovation officer, said “it's exciting that as a brand, we’re playing alongside our customers. We have no idea if we are giving away $8,000 or $28,000 next week.”

McGilloway said the brand is working hard on integrating cryptocurrency payment into its app to provide a great customer experience.

In the meantime, Melbourne’s ‘branchise’ (a model between franchise and independent) Burger Love has embraced the growing adoption of cryptocurrency by becoming the first fast food restaurant to accept top ten digital currency, XEM.

The burger chain’s fan base and techsavvy holders of the digital currency will now be able to purchase their favourite gourmet burgers from its South Melbourne branch.

Head of marketing and branding, Steve Agi, said, “Cryptocurrencies are the future of trade. It is a fascinating concept that our clientele is already on board with and we’re ready to stop watching from sidelines."

NOVELTY OR NICHE?

A FIRST FOR CANNABIS

In the US a marijuana business is turning to franchising to grow from the two Green Man stores it currently operates to a national chain of dispensaries. The business will be rebranded ONE Cannabis.

Christian Hageseth began the operation nine years ago in Denver and has built it up to a US$6.5 million business. Through franchising he plans to open 50 stores across Colarado, Ohio and Michigan within the next three years.

Hageseth told local media outlet BizWest, “There’s a clear need in the market for a franchisor in the cannabis space. It’s a difficult business.”

Running a cannabis outlet requires appropriate licensing, product sourcing and marketing, all aspects eased for a franchise who is following a system, he said.

PLACENTA PLUS

A celebrity trend for taking placenta pills after childbirth could become more mainstream if a UK businesswoman is successful in franchising her concept.

According to The Chester Chronicle, mum of three, Danielle Kinney, used placenta pills to ease her severe postnatal depression.

Unable to source a local manufacturer able to undergo the convoluted process of turning a placenta into pills Kinney made the capsules herself, and two years ago set up the business selling the branded Placenta Plus tablets.

“I started this business to help women but cost and distance meant it wasn’t available to many and that got to me. Now I’m changing that,” she told the media outlet.

Kinney claims interest from international as well as local prospective franchisees.