GLOBAL EYE
New brands, new sites, new appointments... the lowdown on new opportunities the world of franchising.
FRESH TASTES IN FRANCHISING
A new Southern-inspired franchise restaurant is headed to Australia, with an Australian master franchise opportunity on offer.
The Boiling Crab is a traditional Louisianan and Southern Texan seafood restaurant showcasing the very best in American style home-cooking, made to order and served fresh in bags to preserve flavour.
Following success in the US the franchise has announced international expansion, eager to take on the developing Australian foodie culture with its brand of health-conscious and quality focused fare.
The Boiling Crab has identified the Australian market as a key growth target for its casual, full dining concept, modelled after traditional American seafood boils.
Following the successful launch of the brand’s inaugural franchise location, The Boiling Crab will be looking to establish representation across Australia, with a firm focus on metropolitan areas.
The brand currently has a network of over 20 locations across the US comprising of a combination of both franchise partnerships and company-operated stores.
A fresh new player to the Mexican casual dining market is set to shake up the sector, placing a renewed emphasis on authenticity.
Hecho en Mexico is the latest franchise venture from seasoned hospitality veterans Menak Grover and Perveen Bajar and focuses on bringing the true taste of Mexico to Australian consumers.
The pair bring with them a wealth of franchising and food-retailing knowledge, having previously served as executives at a number of large franchise brands, such as Nando’s.
All locations feature an extensive cocktail selection, set against Hecho en Mexico’s unique and colourful atmosphere, providing a culturally immersive dining experience.
Hecho en Mexico has experienced rapid growth from the outset, currently boasting a network of four company-owned locations already, with three more slated for the next 12 months.
OFFERS AND EXPANSION
MAD MEX INVESTMENT Singaporean casual dining brand, 4FINGERS has acquired a 50 per cent stake in Mad Mex Fresh Mexican Grill, a deal that will see new expansion rollout in the coming months.
A number of potential locations in both Singapore and Malaysia have been shortlisted by 4FINGERS as primary targets for Mad Mex’s international rollout.
Clovis Young, Mad Mex founder and former majority stakeholder will remain as CEO, retaining a 50 per cent stake in the business, as the brand continues growth in the domestic market.
Young said the brand was excited to be partnering with a renowned global brand that aligned with Mad Mex’s firm focus on the customer service and quality.
“I wanted my customers to get a fast meal, but with homemade quality, made entirely of real ingredients, with the fewest
preservatives, oils, and sugars possible. You should never have to choose between a quick meal and quality healthy food”.
The brand acquisition will enable the group to continue to aggressively scale up its management bandwidth, leveraging a combined network of supply chain processes, shared services and other scale economies.
NEW SITES FOR KX PILATES
Award winning Australian fitness franchise, KX Pilates has celebrated two significant milestones with the opening of the network’s 50th studio location in Hobart, Tasmania and the brand’s first international studio in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The brand was launched in 2010 and offers high-intensity, body-toning workouts in 50 minutes, combining elements of traditional pilates with the booming functional fitness movement, and last year achieved an annual revenue of $20 million.
Aaron Smith, KX Pilates founder and CEO said the milestone demonstrated the need for a viable and affordable alternative in the fitness franchise industry.
“We have identified the potential for between 120 and 150 KX locations across Australia and we have set ourselves a new goal to achieve that within the next five years,” Smith said.
“While we are keen to see the brand grow, we are also careful about oversaturation and expanding sustainably. As a company we are mindful that there is no value in opening double the number of studios required and for them to only half-fill, as it doesn't benefit our franchisees and it damages the brand.”
INTEREST FREE LOANS
The Bathroom Werx Group is celebrating 33 years in business and is offering interest free loans to potential franchisees looking to join the group.
Franchisees with basic handyman skills who enjoy sprucing up tired and worn out bathroom units can benefit from an interest free loan and finance of up to 50 per cent of the franchise fee of $45,000 - subject to lender approval.
Bathroom Werx has researched, developed, and manufactured its own ceramic resurfacing enamel together with the equipment necessary to carry out the process.
The Australian-made Werx Enamel is specifically formulated for bathroom sanitary ware and has passed internationall standards testing by the CSIRO.
LOCATION SCOUT
A new $50m dining and entertainment precinct at Westfield Tea Tree Plaza is set to feature nine new restaurants and South Australia’s first HOYTS LUX cinema.
The latest development from joint owners Scentre Group and AMP Capital marks significant progression for the South Australian casual dining sector, with two first-to-market retailers added to the mix.
Franchise brand, Schnitz will open its inaugural South Australian location, following successful east-coast growth, whilst Rockpool-owned The Bavarian will also launch its first outlet for the state.
Meanwhile the nation’s capital is set for a shake up with Scentre Group and joint venture partner Perron Group announcing a $21 million redevelopment at Westfield Woden.
The redevelopment is expected to open in in early 2019, anchored by a new dining precinct that features six premium restaurants, to compliment the existing network of franchised offerings, such as Grill’d, Rashays and San Churro.
IN BRIEF
Melbourne burger favourites, Huxtaburger has secured an exclusive 10 site development franchise partnership in New South Wales with plans to expand its offering across Asia.
A new CEO has been appointed at
Clark Rubber Franchising. The retailer has promoted its general manager merchandise, Anthony Grice into the chief role.
The appointment of Rick Graham as executive officer at Swimart marks a significant step forward in the firm’s dedicated approach to improving retail operations, focusing on innovation and strategic growth to increase franchisee performance.
Mobile pool service franchise, Jim’s Pool
Care is celebrating a significant network milestone, announcing the brand has now secured 100 franchisees.
A Sydney store opening marks the 100th location nationwide for the Soul
Origin network, which has experienced enormous growth since establishing in 2011.