Every new year, changes in franchise businesses occur around the globe, and in kind the 2015 Top 100 Global Franchises Report changes to reveal the ever shifting nature of franchising. Never boring, always dynamic, and full of stamina to tackle challenges, brands from around the world prove their willingness and desire to innovate newer and better ways to operate all the time.
This report keeps some previous years’ reporting traditions alive with highlights focused on newbies to the Top 100 list. Spanish food franchise 100 Montaditos joined the ranks at #70 after starting out 15 years ago in the coastal southwestern side of the country alongside some recognized local U.S. brands.
U.S. newcomers for 2015 include Little Caesar’s (#67 in the Top 100 now after impressive national growth), Popeye’s and Sports Clips moved into at #43 and #92, respectively. An exclusive interview with Pete Lindsey, Sports Clips' Vice President of Franchising, points out some facts surrounding the brand’s choice to expand into Ontario, Canada and why the men's focused hair salon is very deliberate with its expansion plans.
Brands ranked closest to the top that started outside the U.S. are focused in France including #10 Groupe Casino and #13 Carrefour. Interesting stats on the franchise business network throughout France are provided, a top international franchise network that leads the pack in Europe’s franchise scene.
Other countries highlighted in the report in terms of global expansion and franchise business development? India, the Republic of the Philippines, and Mexico, all three of which cover a considerable area of land and feature robust populations and cities that serve as prime areas for the advancement of the franchise business model — including brands native to each respective country and international expansion of brands from other world regions.
Industry news covered in this year’s Top 100 wouldn’t be complete without some mention of the challenges related to legislative decisions in the U.S.
Observations regarding the potential impact of National Labor Relations Board decisions are detailed within the report, as well as some of the latest hurdles challenging big name franchisors such as McDonalds, among others. Franchises are in the midst of questions related to liabilities shared between franchisors and franchisees when operating across the country.
And finally, a closer look at the Burger King-Tim Hortons merger (the former ranked at #4 with the latter ranked at #22) is offered, a move that’s added an impressive international franchisor-duo to expand into the franchising world.
To view the ranking, report, and read up on the methodology used, click here.