Borneo Post Online – 31st March 2016

LABUAN: For its financial year ended 31st January 2016, Borneo Oil Berhad (BornOil) recorded a sterling set of performance, coupled with its gold inventory touching unprecedented levels.

In an announcement to Bursa Malaysia, the company said that its yearly revenue jumped more than three folds to touch RM279.96 million from the RM84.27 million recorded previously.

Profit after tax in turn leapt to RM11.99 million from the previous year’s RM7.19 million.

This strong financial performance was attributed to the company’s fast food and franchise, together with its mining, energy and related divisions.

The statement added that “the Board is optimistic of continuing good and improved performances in the coming quarters should all our plans, barring any unforeseen circumstances, are satisfactorily carried out”.

On the company’s fast food and franchise division, BornOil executive director Raymond Teo said that the company currently has 69 SugarBun restaurants in Sarawak, 5 in Sabah while another 10 are in overseas markets.

“With a focus on product diversity that appeals to different palates, SugarBun has over the years catered to the changing taste of the consumers,” said Teo.

“Through extensive brand building activities, coupled with good QSCV practice (quality, service, cleanliness and value), and offering innovative menu items, the SugarBun brand name has become synonymous with ‘great food and great prices’,” he added.

BornOil’s Pezzo franchise, meanwhile, has emerged in recent times to become one of the most popular pizza eateries in Sarawak, particularly in Kuching.

Teo explained that the openness of any Pezzo kiosk gives customers a glance on how their pizza is being made and freshly baked from the oven, a process that is completed within 10 minutes. Furthermore, the pizzas are sold either by slices or by a whole pizza, measuring 14 inches per pan, compared to the 12-inch pan used by most pizza operators.

Unlike other pizza restaurants, Pezzo is a kiosk which only requires an area of only 200 square feet to operate. Thus, this small kiosk set up concept offers a few competitive strengths including the fact that these can easily be put up in any strategic location.

Furthermore, the set up time of the kiosks can be just a week, compared to a few months for a restaurant. Business risks for these kiosks are also much lower due to the low set-up costs, low operating costs and its mobile nature.

“The future plan would be to expand into the huge untapped market in Sabah and West Malaysia,” Teo further said.

BornOil’s gold inventory continues to climb on back of rising gold prices.

Meanwhile, BornOil’s gold inventory continues to climb to unprecedented levels.

In an announcement to Bursa Malaysia late last week, Borneo Oil Berhad (BornOil) informed the exchange that its gold inventory to date stands at 20,544 ounces or 639 kgs.

Gold is traded in USD and closed last week at approximately USD1,220 per ounce.

This means that the value of BornOil’s gold hoarding equates to some USD25,063,680 million or above the RM100 million mark.

And given BornOil’s issued paid up capital of 2,972,801,117, this means that gold back per BornOil share is 3.37 sen or more than a fifth of its closing price last Friday of 15 sen.

Teo said that BornOil aims to continuously increase its gold backing per share to demonstrate “real value” to all shareholders. — Bernama

URL : http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/03/31/bornoil-ends-financial-year-with-sterling-finish/#ixzz44ZDzjhGR

Arab News – 1st April 2016

BEIJING: McDonald’s Corp. plans to add more than 1,500 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea over the next five years as it focuses on high-growth markets to boost sales.
The company, known for its Big Mac burgers, said it was seeking franchise partners in those three markets, where it already has more than 2,800 restaurants, most of them company-owned.
China, Hong Kong and South Korea, along with a few other high-growth markets such as Russia, accounted for nearly a quarter of McDonald’s total sales in 2015.
McDonald’s, which converted about 470 company-owned restaurants to franchises last year, plans to franchise 95 percent of its outlets worldwide in the long-term.
More than 80 percent of its 36,000-plus restaurants are currently operated by franchisees.
Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald’s said it was looking for partners who would “enable localized decisions on growth initiatives” in China, Hong Kong and South Korea.
McDonald’s and rival Yum Brands Inc, the owner of KFC and Pizza Hut, have been facing increasing competition from cheaper local rivals, particularly in China, where they are trying to recover from food safety scares.
China, which is home to the third largest number of McDonald’s restaurants, is Yum’s biggest market.
Sales took a hit after Chinese regulators launched a probe into a local meat supplier in 2014 for allegedly mixing meat beyond its expiration date with fresh meat.
A Reuters analysis of same-store sales data suggests McDonald’s is recovering faster than Yum in China.
Researchers and consumers said there’s no simple answer to explain why one is faring better than the other, but the scandals seem to have stuck to KFC much more than McDonald’s in consumers’ minds.
McDonald’s shares rose to a record high of $126.76 in early trading on Thursday.
The stock has risen about 29 percent in the last 12 months, outperforming the 18 percent rise in the S&P 500 restaurants Sub index.

URL : http://www.arabnews.com/economy/news/903731

Portland Press Herald – 31st March 2016

CHICAGO — McDonald’s is looking for franchisees in Asia as part of a plan to open 1,500 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and Korea over the next five years.

McDonald’s, based in suburban Chicago, has about 36,000 restaurants around the world — 2,800 of which are in those three countries. Most of those 2,800 are company-owned, whereas overall more than 80 percent of McDonald’s restaurants are operated by franchisees. The world’s largest burger chain has previously identified Asia as one of its markets where the potential for growth is the strongest.

This year, McDonald’s said it opened more than 400 restaurants in “high-growth” markets in 2015, and closed around 200. It said at the time that it planned to open between 400 and 500 new restaurants in those segments in 2016, mostly in China.

McDonald’s divides its business segments outside the United States into groups based on how they perform and their expected future growth.

High-growth markets, which include countries that are believed to have the greatest expansion and franchising potential, include countries such as China, Korea, Russia, Spain, Italy, Poland, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

McDonald’s saw revenue in those markets fall by 10 percent to $6.17 billion last year. That was in line with a slowdown across its international markets but compared with just a 1 percent decline in the U.S.

The company previously announced a search for restaurant operators in Taiwan and Japan.

URL : http://www.pressherald.com/2016/03/31/mcdonalds-looks-to-open-franchise-restaurants-in-asia/

UTUSAN MALAYSIA –  4 APRIL 2016

KUALA LUMPUR 3 April – Kumpulan Halcent (Halcent) bercadang untuk mengambil alih hotel di blok F Abraj Tower, Arab Saudi melibatkan urus niaga bernilai 3.8 bilion riyal (RM4.11 bilion).

Abdul Halim Navaghani

Pengarah Urusannya, Datuk Dr. Abdul Halim Navaghani berkata, buat masa ini perbincangan masih lagi berjalan dengan pengurusan Abraj Tower termasuk meneliti kertas cadangan kewangan yang disediakan oleh dua buah bank pelaburan di Emiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE) Dubai dan Indonesia.

Katanya, dalam masa sama, Halcent turut bersaing dengan satu lagi syarikat berpangkalan di Arab Saudi, Bin Laden Group yang turut menunjukkan minat dalam pengambilalihan tersebut.

“Ketika ini, kami masih dalam perbincangan dengan pihak pengurusan Abraj Tower untuk pengambilalihan hotel ini bagi memenuhi permintaan pasaran Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapura dan Brunei,” katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini baru-baru ini.

Penglibatan Halcent dalam industri perhotelan bermula dengan penyewaan bilik di Mekah dan Madinah sejak empat tahun lalu.

Hotel di blok F tersebut merangkumi 1,600 unit hotel siap dihuni selama 22 tahun dengan jarak sekitar 70 meter dari Masjidil Haram.

Dalam pada itu, menurut Abdul Halim, berbekalkan pengalaman menerusi sebuah anak syarikat iaitu Halcent International Sdn. Bhd. berjaya mengeksport makanan halal ke beberapa buah negara termasuk Arab Saudi dan pengiktirafan sebagai Syarikat Halal Terbaik pada Ekspo Halal Moscow 2015, Halcent mahu melebarkan sayap dalam industri francais makanan di Arab Saudi.

Katanya, menerusi kerjasama dengan Papparich, Halcent akan membuka tiga cawangan Papparich Ekspress di Mekah, Madinah dan Jeddah di samping beberapa cawangan di Malaysia.

“Pemilihan francais Papparich dibuat berdasarkan kepada kualiti operasi prosedur standard (SOP) mereka yang lengkap dalam pe­ngurusan perniagaan makanan berbanding francaisor lain,” katanya.

URL : http://www.utusan.com.my/bisnes/korporat/halcent-cadang-ambil-alih-hotel-di-arab-saudi-1.208302

NEW STRAITS TIMES – 5 APRIL 2016

SHAH ALAM: For many young entrepreneurs, starting a food truck business is a trendier alternative to opening a stall on the streets.

Food truck operator Azree Azhar, 29, opened his first franchised food truck in October last year at SACC Mall here.

Azhar, who sells creamy coconut shakes, said the cost of setting up a food truck was much cheaper than opening a restaurant.

“It is easier to reach out to customers. Some of the food truck operators here are mainly from the big companies, such as Tutti Frutti (frozen yoghurt franchise), and many have registered for the Goods and Services Tax.

“If you notice, most of us sell our products at less than RM10, inclusive of GST.”

He said a food truck enabled entrepreneurs to move around to different locations to seek new customers.

Azree said social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even email, were vital to reach a large number of customers.

Asked how food truck operators were coping with the heatwave, he said those who sold cold drinks and desserts were raking it in.

“During the day, we will have more customers buying drinks. Later in the evening, the sales slow down a bit.

“On a normal day, we sell about 100 cups of coconut shake. But because of the heatwave, we are selling more now.”

He said Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur were the hotspots to run a food truck business.

Another food truck operator, Mohd Najib Mohd Zaki, 29, said he had been operating his business here for about a year.

He said operating a food truck was a good way for young people to start a business.

“With a food truck, we are able to move around, but if you open a restaurant, you are stuck at one location .

“I sell kebab. Because of the heatwave, sales are a bit slow during the day, but things pick up at night.”

He said most of the food truck operators charged less than RM10 for their products because their overhead costs were low.

Customer thronging a food truck in Shah Alam yesterday.

Food truck operator Azree Azhar

URL : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/04/137076/food-truck-mania

BERITA HARIAN – 6 APRIL 2016

MENTERI Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK), Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

KUALA LUMPUR: Perbadanan Nasional Bhd (PNS) melancarkan siri program baharu “Sembang Santai Francais” (SSF) yang akan dianjurkan setiap dua bulan sehingga akhir tahun ini.

Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK), Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, berkata program itu dijangka akan memberi sumbangan ketara kepada pertumbuhan positif industri francais serta mengembangkan modal insan.

Katanya, siri pertama SSF akan disertai oleh 60 peserta termasuk usahawan kecil, usahawan runcit, usahawan francais, dan mahasiswa Universiti Malaysia Kelantan dan Universiti Putra Malaysia.

“Saya percaya dengan adanya perkongsian ilmu daripada jenama besar dalam industri ini, PNS mampu melahirkan lebih ramai usahawan tempatan yang berkualiti bagi menghadapi cabaran global kini.

“Ia diharapkan dapat memberi inspirasi kepada usahawan francais untuk memajukan perniagaan,” katanya kepada media pada pelancaran SSF, di sini, hari ini.

Sementara itu, beliau berkata, menjelang akhir tahun kerajaan menyasarkan industri francais negara mampu menyumbangkan RM26 bilion kepada Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK).

Katanya, ia sejajar dengan sasaran tinggi yang ditetapkan kerajaan untuk industri menyumbang 9.4 peratus kepada Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) menjelang tahun 2020.

URL : http://www.bharian.com.my/node/140710

My Metro – 6 April 2016

Kuala Lumpur: Perbadanan Nasional Bhd terus membantu usahawan tempatan untuk menyertai industri francais menerusi Program Sembang Santai Francais (SSF) yang diadakan sepanjang tahun ini secara bersiri.

SSF yang akan diadakan sebanyak lima siri tahun ini akan membabitkan sekitar 50 peserta setiap sesi yang mana peserta program berkenaan di kalangan pemain industri francais utama akan berkongsi pengalaman perniagaan mereka kepada peserta dalam kalangan usahawan baru dan pelajar dari pelbagai universiti.

Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK), Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin berkata, pelaksanaan SSF adalah langkah positif yang dilaksanakan oleh PNS bagi membantu Malaysia mendapatkan sumbangan industri francais sebanyak 9.4 peratus kepada Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) menjelang 2020.

“Saya berharap di bawah KPDNKK dapat terus membantu usahawan mengikut taraf perniagaan francais mereka seperti yang mempunyai potensi besar kita bawa mereka ke pasaran global dan yang baru kita adakan pelbagai program latihan seperti SSF ini.

“Walau bagaimanapun pemain industri sendiri perlu agresif untuk membangunkan perniagaan mereka dengan mempunyai ilmu keusahawanan, kreatif, kualiti dan mampu bertahan untuk jangka masa panjang dalam dunia perniagaan,” katanya dalam ucapan perasmian program dan logi SSF di sini, hari ini.

Program SSF yang dianjurkan oleh PNS itu dibuka kepada orang ramai tanpa dikenakan sebarang yuran penyertaan.

URL : http://www.hmetro.com.my/node/128076#sthash.rTU6ftgH.dpuf

Bernama – 6 April 2016

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 April (Bernama) — Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK) akan memperketat kriteria pemberian lesen perniagaan di Kawasan Keselamatan Khas Pantai Timur Sabah (Esscom) susulan insiden penculikan di perairan negeri itu.

Menteri berkenaan Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin berkata pemberian lesen kepada peniaga di kawasan perairan pantai timur Sabah perlu dikawal demi menjamin keselamatan mereka.

Pihak kementerian akan berbincang dengan ESSCom berhubung aktiviti perniagaan di kawasan itu yang merangkumi Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna dan Tawau hingga ke kepulauan di selatan Filipina, katanya kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan program Sembang Santai Francais (SSF) di sini, hari ini.

Beliau mengulas cadangan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi supaya perdagangan sistem barter antara Sabah dan selatan Filipina dikaji semula dengan segera berikutan kes penculikan empat warga Malaysia di kawasan perairan Sabah pada Jumaat lepas.

Dalam pada itu, Hamzah mendakwa perdagangan kedua-dua pihak itu membuka ruang kepada jenayah lain termasuk penyeludupan barangan bersubsidi ke negara jiran yang menyebabkan berlakunya ketirisan wang negara.

“Kita faham ada keuntungan yang diberikan melalui perniagaan itu tapi keselamatan adalah lebih mustahak…kita tidak mahu aktiviti perniagaan dijadikan sebagai peluang kepada aktiviti jenayah rentas sempadan,” katanya.

URL : http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/bm/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1232374

Kuala Lumpur, 2^nd April 2016 – Malaysian business owners gathered here today to learn how to expand their businesses overseas through franchising by being certified in International Franchise Management (IFM), an enablement course organised by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) and the Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA).

The two-day intensive IFM Certification course is the first of its kind to be offered in Malaysia, under the Government’s Enhanced Franchise Development Program (EFDP) and provides local businesses the opportunity to be fluent in the requirements, processes and opportunities related to international expansion.

Participation came from various sectors including education, food & beverage, Islamic pawnbroking, self-service laundry and consulting. The program was oversubscribed and attracted interest from overseas businesses. Due to popular demand, the organisers have announced a second edition to run in September 2016.

The course was designed and developed as part of the EFDP by industry experts. EFDP which is a program designed specially to cater and assist the homegrown franchise to venture into the global market.

The course includes topics such as Franchise Readiness for International Expansion, Understanding Foreign Market & Mode of Entry, Understanding Market Research, Financing Your Franchise International Expansion, Managing International Supply Chain, and Developing Training & Support Plans.

MFA Chief Executive, Ahmad Faizal Mohamed Noor was extremely grateful to the contributing members who provided full commitment to the program. He said, “This program is a proof that MFA members are dedicated in helping other Malaysian businesses to grow their brands overseas. During the global economic downturn, they are playing their role to teach their peers how to succeed like them.”

“This course is an important component of the EFDP is a very important program to help businesses. During the 2015 Budget speech, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced a RM20 million budget allocation for the EFDP to be implemented by the MDTCC and MFA.”

The feedback received from the participants was positive and they indicated interest in more of such courses to improve their future capabilities in expansion. One of our homegrown franchisor, GlobalArt’s Mr. Terry said, “This course was a wake-up call, even for experienced franchisors. IFM is a must for all franchisors expanding internationally”.

MDTCC currently has more than 800 registered franchisors and more than 60 of them have already expanded overseas. It is hoped that with the IFM Certification, this number will increase.

At the same time, KPDNKK alongside MFA will be organising the largest franchise exhibition in South East Asia which is the Franchise International Malaysia (FIM2016) on the 6^th – 8^th May 2016 at PWTC, Kuala Lumpur. Various activities will be held through this three days event including the Franchise International Conference on the 7^th May 2016.

BERNAMA – 8th APRIL 2016

SPECIALITY…D’Tandoor Putrajaya’s speciality dish, the 24-hour roasted whole leg of lamb called Raan Srikandi unveiled at the launch of its new menu on March 30, 2015. Pic: Mahyudin Mohamad foto BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 (Bernama) — Malaysian franchisors planning to venture abroad must always think outside the box, says founder of D’Tandoor Food Industries Sdn Bhd, Datuk Abdul Malik Abdullah.

“You need to know what your customers want. It’s not easy to maintain your brand, but customers will pay for new things,” he said at a seminar on Enhanced Franchise Development programme (EFDP) organised by the Malaysian External Development Corporation (MATRADE) recently.

INNOVATIVE…Founder and Managing Director of D’Tandoor Datuk Abdul Malik Abdullah (second left) with Deputy Secretary General of Tourism Datuk Rashidi Hasbullah when launching the new D’Tandoor menu in conjunction with My Fest 2015 in Putrajaya last year. Pic: Mahyudin Mohamad. foto BERNAMA

“Always innovate and don’t stick to one. From time to time, improve your product with creative ideas to stay relevant. It’s a tough challenge,” added Abdul Malik, who is also Managing Director of D’Tandoor International Group of Restaurants.

He said the company started as a conventional restaurant in Malaysia, but due to lack of manpower and resources, it decided to venture into franchising. “We started as a family business and have been running it professionally as we grow. The fastest to grow is franchising.”

D’Tandoor had its beginning in 1984 when Penang-born Abdul Malik, started working in a Northern Indian Restaurant, Shezan in Subang Jaya. After working in Shezan, he was given the trust to manage Shikara, which had outlets in Bangsar and Petaling Jaya but had to be closed later due to the economic slowdown.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (fourth right) during a visit to MarryBrown’s exhibition booth after opening the Franchise International Malaysia 2015 at the PWTC. Pic: Muhammad Zulhilmi Daud fotoBERNAMA

REAL CHALLENGES

He later joined Kelab Aman for four years from 1986 to 1990 which was considered the platform for Abdul Malik and his wife Mumtaz Begum Mohd Sidek, to open their own restaurant and face the real challenges.

In 1990, he decided to migrate to Sydney, to look for better opportunities and fresh ideas to be brought back and implemented in Malaysia. While he was there, he did the Diploma Course in Business Management.

In 1993, Abdul Malik returned to Malaysia and opened the first D’Tandoor Restaurant in Damansara Utama with cofounder, Tan Hun Kim. Since then, d’Tandoor has become the pioneer and a household name in Malaysia, with outlets overseas.

“We had gone through hardship in business but today, we are proud to say that D’Tandoor Malaysian Restaurant is the biggest North Indian Restaurant chain in Malaysia,” says D’Tandoor on its website.

International restaurants of D’Tandoor are available in Perth, Sydney, New Zealand, Damam and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Cambodia and upcoming international restaurants include Mauritius, Jakarta and Abu Dhabi.

It is planning to expand its outlets in every major state in Malaysia and is also looking into China, Dubai and Khazakhstan.

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT

D Tandoor restaurants are well recognised, with 18 branches worldwide and are still growing strong. Australian Times had voted the restaurant as the Best North Indian Restaurant in Perth.

The MFA awarded D’Tandoor as the Most Promising Franchisor in 2005. In the same year, the Malaysia Australia Business Council (MABC) awarded Abdul Malik as the Entrepreneur of the Year for his contribution in boosting Australia-Malaysia ties.

In 2009/2010, D’Tandoor was awarded the Best Malaysian Indian Restaurant in Malaysia, by Malaysia Tourism Awards from the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia in the year 2009/2010. Putrajaya’s D Tandoor won the Indian Restaurant category for Innovative Restaurant at the Malaysia Tourism Awards (MTA) 2014/2015 recently.

“We had gone through hardship in business but today, we are proud to say that D’Tandoor Malaysian Restaurant is the biggest North Indian Restaurant chain in Malaysia,” says D’Tandoor, which also provides catering services to its customers.

D’Tandoor also serves Arabic food and fast food such as Samurai and Tandoori burgers. The Putrajaya restaurant has at least 20 types of naan bread and its speciality dish is the 24-hour roasted whole leg of lamb called Raan Srikandi, which can serve six to eight people.

On the Australian market, Abdul Malik noted that doing business for new players was tough and costly, advising them to do their homework and learn the shortcut. “Experience is the best teacher. With know-how, experience and contacts, you become smarter,” he noted.

MARKET STUDY

Franchising and Field Services Manager of halal fast food restaurant chain, MarryBrown Sdn Bhd, Kairul Azman said franchisors must first study the need in the markets and their culture before venturing into a new market.

“You need to find out how best your franchise can be marketed in the country.The location and distance will reflect the cost. Factor in language barriers and printing costs for brochures too,” he said.

Others include marketability of products and services. Kairul cited spicy food products, for instance, would not guarantee success in American and British markets.

Franchisors also need to study access of raw materials, human resource requirements and they must be prepared to comply with regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he said.

He said foreign governments’ policies were reflected in their legislations. “Some adopt a positive attitude toward franchisors, and there are also those which impose restrictions on certain type of business and operation,” he added.

GLOBAL STRATEGY

An international strategy should also be developed for those planning to expand their franchise business overseas. Solid market research, intellectual property rights protection, choosing the right partnership and regular monitoring and reviewing of international operations, are key elements.

“A global strategy is needed to develop international brands. It’s not easy. We had difficulties in Africa in 2008. Transferring of information, equipping locals with enough skills and ensuring our team is strong were part of the challenge. It took us almost four years to position them before they could run on their own,” said Kairul.

MarryBrown, which started in Johor Baharu in 1981, now operates more than 350 international outlets serving fried chicken, burgers, finger food, desserts, and beverages aside from serving Malaysian local dishes.

It currently has 148 outlets in Malaysia and plans to increase to 200 outlets by the second quarter of this year.

URL : http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v8/fe/newsfeatures.php?id=1233263

Franchising is arguably the easiest path to becoming an entrepreneur. By having an already established brands and a franchisors’ support network, one can almost eliminate the chance of failure by becoming a franchisee.

According to a recent Franchise Association of South Africa (Fasa) survey, franchisees have a business success rate of 90%. This is in stark contrast to the 90% failure rate of small businesses within their first two years, according to Statistics South Africa. Nevertheless, given the economic slowdown, and consumers finding themselves increasingly under the pressure of mounting expenses, the decision to buy into a franchise is not exactly what one would call ‘a no-brainer’.

Speaking to Moneyweb at the International Franchise Expo, held at the Sandton Convention Centre on Friday, Absa Bank franchise development manager Henk Botha said there was no straightforward answer to the question of whether now is a good time to start a franchise business. He said he’d seen many people succeed and just as many that have failed to cope within a tough environment, explaining that it depends on the amount of effort that one is willing to put in.

“The question should be asked to the one that wants to do it,” said Botha. “For someone that realises, yes, franchising is a proven concept and there is lower risk involved, but it is still hard work, then the time is right. Because you still need to be creative in your business and grind in it.”

URL : http://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/now-good-time-invest-franchise/

Some 30 food and non-food brands are being offered for franchising at the three-day Franchise Visayas 2016, which opened Friday at the Ayala Center Cebu.

The event, organized by the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA), is a prelude to Franchise Asia Philippines 2016, considered the biggest franchise event in Asia which is set for July 20-24 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila.

Through the exhibit, the group also hopes to reach out to small and start-up brands in the Visayas and Mindanao, said PFA president Alan Escalona.

“This year, PFA intends to mentor or guide start-ups which are afraid to venture to bigger cities. PFA’s role is to help young entrepreneurs go into franchising and grow their businesses,” Escalona said.

As of last year, PFA members have opened 134,000 franchised outlets and created 1.2 million jobs, said PFA chairman emeritus Samie Lim.

The franchise industry has also helped boost the services sector, currently the biggest contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Escalona, who is also president and CEO of Fruit Magic and CEO of Quicklean Franchise Solutions, Inc., said the industry usually expands by 10 percent to 12 percent yearly.

“(The) franchising (industry) does well in good times and bad,” he added.

Among the exhibitors at the ongoing franchise exhibit at the Ayala Center Cebu is Max’s Group, Inc., which offers seven brands, namely Jamba Juice, Dencio’s, Max’s Restaurant, Pancake House, Sizzling Steak, Teriyaki Boy, and Yellow Cab.

Big names like Jollibee, Goldilocks, 7-Eleven, Goto King, Kumon and The Generics Pharmacy are also featured.

Homegrown brands like Choobi Choobi, Dessert Factory, Julie’s Bakeshop, Magic Melt, Body and Sole, Beauty and Beyond, Valen Antoine and Islands Souvenirs are also there.

Lim said more than 20 brands developed in Cebu have gone national and established company-owned and franchised outlets in Metro Manila and other key cities in the country. Some Cebuano brands have also gone international, like Penshoppe, Lim said.

At the Franchise Asia Expo in July, Escalona said about 600 brands will be featured, including about 50 international companies that are looking for master franchisees in the Philippines. There will be international brands from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, and Taiwan as well as from the U.S. and Europe.

URL : http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/90962/30-brands-up-for-grabs-in-franchise-exhibit#ixzz45TfDHEzt

A KEY official of the Philippine Franchising Association (PFA) believes Filipino franchisors are ready to export their products and services to the world.

Now on the seventh cycle in the franchising business, the Philippines, according to PFA chairman emeritus Samie Lim, is now equipped with industry experience to expand the local brands internationally.

“We’ve been able to train our franchisors (for more than two decades)… We will now export them,” said Lim in a press conference yesterday.

Lim, who founded the PFA in 1995, recalled how the local franchising industry evolved over the years. The first cycle mainly concerned food franchise while the second and third cycle were primarily focused on retail and services, respectively.

The third to sixth cycles, on the other hand, were centered on specialties: food like coffee shops and dessert shops during the third cycle, specialty stores for retail during the fourth cycle, and specialty services like nail salons and massage centers in the sixth cycle.

“Now we are on the seventh cycle, which is to make the Philippines as the hub of franchising in Asia. We will now export our franchisors,” Lim told reporters.

The Philippines is also attracting international brands, sticking to its name as the “franchising gateway in Asia.”

According to Lim, there are more than 50 international brands that are on the lookout for master franchisees in the Philippines. These brands hail from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea, United States, and Europe and will be participating in this year’s Franchise Asia at the SMX Convention Center in Manila on July 20 to 24.

The PFA official said these franchisors want to set up their headquarters in the Philippines, making it the starting point for their future expansions in Southeast Asia.

In addition, Lim announced that there is a delegation from Korea that will come to the Philippines to bring 30 Korean food franchises. The group is still searching for locations and plans put all these food establishments inside one mall.

Philippine companies have introduced 20 brands to the international markets through franchising, said PFA officials. While top Filipino brands like Jollibee, Bench, and Cebu’s own Bo’s Coffee and Penshoppe are the most known, Lim said the smaller ones have also started expanding like Potato Corner, Oryspa, and Bibingkinitan.

This year, the Philippine franchising sector aims to grow between 10 percent and 12 percent.

URL : http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2016/04/10/local-brands-ready-go-global-466837

Lambakan restoran makanan Barat di negara ini membuktikan penerimaan masyarakat terhadap cita rasa mat salih kian mendapat tempat. Burger, chicken chop dan lamb chop sering menjadi pilihan sama ada ketika makan tengah hari atau malam.

Melihat senario positif itu membuatkan Muhammad Fadhil Choong Abdullah bertekad memilih industri makanan dan minuman (F&B) sebagai percaturan. Memilih The Counter Custom Built Burgers yang beroperasi di Amerika Syarikat, beliau memberanikan diri membuka perniagaan francais itu di Malaysia yang kini mempunyai dua cawangan iaitu di pusat beli-belah Pavilion dan Nu Sentral.

“Di Malaysia, ia dikenali sebagai Built Custom Burgers. Apa yang membuatkan saya yakin membuka perniagaan ini kerana saya sendiri mencuba burger di beberapa negara dan saya dapati Built Custom Burgers adalah burger terbaik yang pernah dinikmati.

“Built Custom Burgers menggunakan seratus peratus daging lembu segar yang diimport dari Australia dan ia bebas suntikan hormon mahupun antibiotik serta halal.

“Pelanggan boleh memilih sendiri bahan seperti jenis sayuran, sos, daging lembu, ayam dan sebagainya. Kami menggunakan 11 jenis rempah bagi memberi kelazatan maksimum dan rasa ‘umph’ kepada pelanggan dengan harga berpatutan,” katanya.

Menurutnya, pelanggan juga boleh memilih sama ada mahu makan bersama roti atau dihidangkan di dalam mangkuk berserta salad. Fadhil memberitahu, selain daging lembu, bahan makanan lain seperti kentang dan roti turut diimport dari Amerika Syarikat bagi menjaga kualiti dan rasa.

“Semua hidangan di sini mengikut piawaian seperti yang ditetapkan di Amerika Syarikat malah kakitangan juga dilatih di sana selama sebulan,” katanya.

Mengenai persaingan, beliau menjelaskan ia adalah asam garam dalam dunia perniagaan dan menganggap sebagai persaingan sihat.

“Adatlah dalam perniagaan. Paling penting kita percaya dan yakin dengan produk sendiri. Alhamdulillah, setakat ini pelanggan sangat berpuas hati dan ada yang menjadi pelanggan tetap.

“Saya juga menerima beberapa tawaran daripada pusat beli-belah lain yang menawarkan membuka cawangan tetapi masih berfikir dan membuat beberapa rujukan,” katanya.

URL : http://www.hmetro.com.my/node/129215#sthash.NPuwC5Ab.dpuf

KUALA LUMPUR, 11 April 2016:
QL Resources Bhd’s wholly-owned unit, Maxincome Resources Sdn Bhd, has signed a franchise agreement with Tokyo-based FamilyMart Co Ltd for the development and operation of FamilyMart convenience stores in Malaysia.
In a filing to Bursa Malaysia today, QL Resources said the expansion into the convenience store chain business with the established FamilyMart brand will open up bigger growth opportunities.

QL anticipates to open the first FamilyMart in Malaysia by December 2016.

“It is also a strategic downstream expansion of QL’s existing food manufacturing and distribution businesses that creates synergistic effect for the group.”

It said the agreement was for 20 years and renewable for subsequent periods of 20 years each at franchisee’s option.

“The agreement is also conditional upon successful franchisee registration of Maxincome with Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism.”

FamilyMart Co Ltd, the franchisor, is a listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The company, ranked as the second largest convenience store chain in the world, has 17,540 stores in seven countries worldwide as at 31 March 2016.

URL : http://www.therakyatpost.com/uncategorized/2016/04/11/new-convenience-store-franchise-coming-to-malaysia/

KUALA LUMPUR, 11 April (Bernama) — Maxincome Resources Sdn Bhd, anak syarikat milik penuh QL Resources Bhd, telah menandatangani perjanjian francais dengan FamilyMart Co Ltd yang berpangkalan di Tokyo untuk pembangunan dan operasi kedai serbaguna FamilyMart di Malaysia.

Dalam satu makluman kepada Bursa Malaysia hari ini, QL Resources berkata, penglibatannya dalam perniagaan rantaian kedai serbaguna dengan jenama terkenal FamilyMart, akan membuka peluang pertumbuhan lebih besar.

“Ia juga pengembangan hiliran strategik perniagaan pengeluaran makanan dan pengedaran sedia ada QL yang menghasilkan kesan sinergi kepada kumpulan,” katanya.

Menurutnya, perjanjian itu adalah untuk 20 tahun dan boleh diperbaharui bagi tempoh 20 tahun lagi tiap satu, mengikut pilihan pemegang francais.

“Perjanjian itu juga dengan syarat pendaftaran francais Maxincome dengan Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan, selesai,” katanya.

FamilyMart Co Ltd, pemilik francais, adalah syarikat yang disenarai di Bursa Saham Tokyo.

Syarikat itu diiktiraf sebagai rantaian kedai serbaguna kedua terbesar di dunia dan sehingga 31 Mac 2016 ia memiliki 17,540 kedai di tujuh negara.

– BERNAMA

URL : http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/bm/bu/newsbusiness.php?id=1234192

METRO – 13 February 2016

Georgetown: Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) menerusi SME BizFest 2016 yakin pameran tahunan itu mampu melonjak peluang perniagaan lebih meluas, selain mewujudkan jaringan rangkaian.

Naib Presiden Eksekutif Pengguna dan Perusahaan Kecil Dan Sederhana (PKS) TM Imri Mokhtar berkata, syarikat itu akan terus berperanan sebagai pusat sehenti kepada perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) mendapatkan penyelesaian perniagaan inovatif dan berkesan.

“Dengan adanya platfom ini, SME BizFest 2016 mampu menjadi perhubung strategik lebih optimis kepada golongan usahawan PKS untuk berkongsi pengetahuan dan tip perniagaan, selain merebut peluang perniagaan baru termasuk jaringan rakan niaga,” katanya pada majlis SME BizFEst 2016 buat kali keenam di sini, semalam.

Imri berkata, pihaknya menjangkakan pameran SME BizFest 2016 yang diadakan di enam lokasi seluruh negara bermula di Pulau Pinang dapat membantu dan memberi kesedaran kepada usahawan PKS untuk lebih berinovasi serta memperkasakan perniagaan masing-masing.

SME BizFest 2016 yang bermula 12 April di Pulau Pinang sehingga 31 Mei ini akan berlangsung di beberapa lokasi termasuk Meru, Ipoh, Perak; Kota Bharu, Kelantan; Kota Kinabalu, Sabah; Johor Bahru, Johor dan Kuala Lumpur dijangka menarik lebih 6,000 pengunjung.

IMRI

URL : http://www.hmetro.com.my/node/130001

My Metro – 14 April 2016

Kuala Lumpur: Marrybrown Sdn Bhd (Marrybrown) menyasarkan untuk membuka 25 cawangan setiap tahun di seluruh negara dan memberi peluang kepada rakyat tempatan menjana pendapatan menerusi francais syarikat makanan dan minuman segera berkenaan.

Ketika ini, Marrybrown mempunyai 147 cawangan di seluruh negara yang 80 peratus daripada jumlah itu dimiliki usahawan francaisi.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulannya, Datuk Joshua Liew berkata, perniagaan francais ditawarkannya bukan saja terbuka kepada individu perseorangan tetapi boleh juga disertai entiti seperti koperasi.

Beliau berkata, pihaknya bercadang membuka sehingga 200 cawangan sehingga 2020 dengan memberi tumpuan di kawasan Lembah Klang dan pembukaan lebih banyak cawangan itu boleh memberi peluang kepada lebih ramai rakyat Malaysia menjadi usahawan Marrybrown.

“Bagi membuka satu restoran Marrybrown, usahawan perlu membayar RM120,000 bagi yuran francais dan bagi keseluruhan kos termasuk yuran dianggarkan sehingga RM800,000 bergantung kepada lokasi.

“Modal permulaan dilaburkan ini termasuk kos operasi, barangan, kedai, tenaga kerja dan yuran francais. Kami akan sediakan pelbagai latihan membabitkan operasi Marrybrown,” katanya kepada Bisnes Metro.

Setakat tahun lalu, Marrybrown mempunyai lebih 450 cawangan di seluruh dunia termasuk Malaysia dengan menjana jualan RM900 juta dan dijangka nilai itu akan terus positif dari tahun ke tahun dengan pembukaan lebih banyak cawangan.

Joshua berkata, bagi perniagaan francais di Malaysia hanya terbuka kepada rakyat Malaysia saja dan usahawan perlu berasal dari tempat mereka ingin membuka cawangan baru Marrybrown.

Katanya, sekiranya penduduk di kawasan itu sendiri yang mengusahakan restoran, ia akan memberi lebih faedah kerana penduduk di kawasan itu lebih mengenali dan menyokong perniagaan mereka berbanding orang di luar kawasan berkenaan.

URL : http://www.hmetro.com.my/node/130255#sthash.6b6puCAi.dpuf