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 AUSTRALIA
FRANCHISE NEWS ARCHIVE
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: Jul - Dec 2007
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RAMS races against clock to meet bankers' terms. Home loans lender RAMS has yet to satisfy key conditions of a new financing package to replace $5.5 billion of costly US debt market borrowings that brought it to its knees, the company disclosed yesterday. .... [more]
29/12/07
WA franchise inquiry very broad. The background paper for the West Australian Government's inquiry into the operation of franchise businesses in Western Australia released earlier this week confirms that the inquiry will be very wide ranging. .... [more]
21/12/07
Eagle Boys and Dominos Pizza at war. The rivalry among pizza chains is always fierce - who's top of the toppings, has the best base and is most switched on online. And it can turn ugly. .... [more]
20/12/07
Metcash's big plans for Lucky 7. Australia's third-biggest player in the grocery sector, Metcash, has launched a new Lucky 7 branded store as it looks to become the leader in the independent convenience store sector. .... [more]
20/12/07
Franchising inquiry background paper released today. The background paper for the State Government's Inquiry into the Operation of Franchise Businesses in Western Australia has been released today. .... [more]
19/12/07
Jetset raises first half profit outlook. Australians appear to be eschewing the web and returning to traditional travel agents, a possible factor in Jetset Travelworld Ltd's upgraded profit outlook. .... [more]
18/12/07
New chief for Franchise Council. The new chief executive of the Franchise Council of Australia, media and communications professional Steve Wright, takes up the role on 8 January 2008. .... [more]
14/12/07
HoT grows Australian arm. Christchurch's House of Travel (HoT) has been spending in Australia - planning to replicate the size of its New Zealand business across the Tasman by 2012. .... [more]
11/12/07
New franchising opportunity in eye-wear. Giant global optical retailer Luxottica Group has announced it will start franchising its OPSM and Laubman & Pank brands in Australia in 2008. .... [more]
7/12/07
Eagles Boys Pizza go online with orders. Eagle Boys pizza chief executive Tom Potter is banking on customers ordering pizzas online in an effort to avoid that awkward five minutes where the group of friends yells their favourite flavours across the loungeroom. .... [more]
7/12/07
BSR expands SA presence with former franchisee rejoining the group. BSR Group has opened a new store in Renmark, South Australia, with the return to the fold of their former Riverland franchisee, Jim Georgantas. .... [more]
6/12/07
Wizard 'wasn't fast enough' to buy RAMS. Non-bank lender Wizard Home Loans was interested in buying RAMS Home Loan Group Ltd's franchise network but says it didn't have time to make an offer because Westpac Banking Corporation Ltd moved so quickly. .... [more]
5/12/07
Retailers keen for new franchise rules. The Small Retailers Association says business franchises are failing in South Australia because owners are not being given accurate information. .... [more]
4/12/07
Allied Brands targets WA for expansion. Allied Brands is targeting Western Australia for an expansion of its three brands – Baskin Robbins, Cookie Man and Kenny's Cardiology. .... [more]
3/12/07
Michael to take on the world. There are many qualities necessary to be a successful entrepreneur: passion, patience, determination, a willingness to make sacrifices and belief in your idea. Michael Paul has all of them in spades. .... [more]
3/12/07
Small business angst for Emerson. Small business will be waiting to see if Craig Emerson will follow through with a promise made by his Liberal predecessor to tackle bullying of franchisees, as well as assuaging small business concerns about Labor's industrial relations plans. .... [more]
29/11/07
Donut King tackled over AWAs. Australia's Workplace Ombudsman is taking on a Donut King franchisee who allegedly tried to force an employee onto an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA). .... [more]
28/11/07
Second term for Franchise Council chairman. PoolWerx Corporation CEO John O’Brien has been re-elected as the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA) chairman for his second term. .... [more]
28/11/07
Rams shareholders approve Westpac sale. As expected, RAMS shareholders approved the sale of the group's franchise network and all of the future business it writes to Westpac Banking Corporation Ltd for a bargain $140 million. .... [more]
26/11/07
BSR enjoy early start to christmas period. Brisbane-based national franchisor BSR Australia Limited, the company behind the Betta Electrical and Chandlers brands, has announced it expects a positive start to festive season trading to translate to strong Christmas sales. .... [more]
23/11/07
Small business minister backflip on franchise law reform. Federal Small Business Minister Fran Bailey has reportedly promised, if re-elected on Saturday, to amend the Trade Practices Act to prevent bullying tactics in franchising. .... [more]
21/11/07
Harvey predicts strong holiday season profits. Harvey Norman, Australia's biggest electronics retailing franchiser, expects half-year net profit from continuing operations to grow by between 25 per cent and 35 per cent on the $132.9 million result in the first half of last financial year. .... [more]
21/11/07
RAMS confident of refinancing some debt. Troubled lender RAMS Home Loans Group Ltd is confident it can refinance at least one of the two debt facilities it needs to help fund its existing mortgage book by a February deadline. .... [more]
21/11/07
Buying a franchise risky business. Franchises are "a very risky investment" according to the presiding member of a State Government inquiry into franchising laws. .... [more]
20/11/07
Middle East expansion for Cookie Man. A leading Australian operator and developer of franchises, Allied Brands, today announced it intended to launch its Cookie Man brand in Dubai and at least two other new countries by the end of 2008 following strong international interest. .... [more]
20/11/07
The first of Jack Cowin’s KFC stores closes. The Rockingham, Perth, store closed for the last time at midnight after Yum Restaurants International, which owns the franchise, refused to renew Competitive Foods franchise agreement for the site. .... [more]
19/11/07
IKEA to build its biggest Aussie store. IKEA has confirmed it is building its biggest Australian store yet in Springvale, southeast of Melbourne, as part of what will be Australia's largest homemaker centre. .... [more]
17/11/07
Westpac completes RAMS funding. Westpac has completed funding arrangements for up to $500 million worth of RAMS home loans. .... [more]
16/11/07
Kiwi to take on top Harvey Norman job in Oz. Harvey Norman will install New Zealand general manager, Luke Naish, as its new Australian computers and communications general manager following the departure of Rutland Smith next month. .... [more]
16/11/07
‘Chief Chook’ tops franchise pecking order. Steve Hansen, self-proclaimed ‘chief chook’ of Chooks fresh & tasty, has won the FCA’s Paddy Thompson Contribution to Franchising Award. .... [more]
15/11/07
Stop WA inquiry: franchise group. The Franchise Council of Australia has urged West Australian premier Alan Carpenter not to go ahead with its planned state inquiry into franchising, saying it would ''vigorously oppose'' any attempts to introduce state regulation. .... [more]
12/11/07
Ikea plans new stores, for one in a million. Sydney is in the grip of a flat-pack revolution. Every Saturday, up to 15,000 people wander through Ikea's maze-like megastore in Rhodes, filling oversized trolleys with products bearing unpronounceable names. Then they go home and scratch their heads trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. .... [more]
10/11/07
So many franchises, so little time. You know that the franchising industry has hit the mark when a shopfront like Franchisemart opens. This is a place you can go to buy your very own franchise, where you can compare and select from a range of different business options. .... [more]
9/11/07
API to sell Price Attack franchise. Australian Pharmaceuticals Industries will sell its retail franchise business, Price Attack, to focus on its core growth businesses in the health and beauty market. .... [more]
8/11/07
Extra topping for Domino's. Domino's Pizza Enterprises is on track to deliver its heralded turnaround, with trading this year exceeding expectations. .... [more]
8/11/07
Noodle Box hits Mermaid Beach. Flourishing fast food restaurant chain Noodle Box has continued its push into Queensland following the lease last week of a prominent Mermaid Beach premise. .... [more]
7/11/07
Franchise relationship defined by court. The embattled ACCC, criticised for its soft approach toward franchisors, has lost its case on behalf of a group of ice drink licensees because it failed to establish that their distributor was a franchisor. .... [more]
6/11/07
Borrowers forsake RAMS. Mortgage brokers are warning of a rush to the exits from RAMS Home Loans because borrowers are desperate to refinance. .... [more]
5/11/07
State launches franchise inquiry. The State Government will launch an inquiry into the operation of franchise businesses in WA, examining existing laws governing their operations. .... [more]
2/11/07
Harvey Norman's bottom line is bigger. Better buying power fuelled by the surging dollar could see profits at the electronics and furniture retailer Harvey Norman grow as much as 35 per cent in the first half of the fiscal year. .... [more]
1/11/07
Barfresh takes smoothies to Jesters. Barfresh Beverage Systems and Jesters Pies have signed an agreement to bring fresh low-fat smoothies to the pie chain. .... [more]
31/10/07
Zarraffa’s opens coffee training academy on Gold Coast. Zarraffa’s Coffee, the specialty coffee retailer, wholesaler, roaster and franchisor, has launched south east Queensland’s first coffee training academy on the Gold Coast. .... [more]
30/10/07
Franchisees reject ALP policy. Franchisee representative groups have responded with disappointment to Labor’s franchising policy released last week. .... [more]
29/10/07
Westpac offer for RAMS best deal, says expert. Failure to sell the most valuable part of the ailing RAMS Home Loans business to Westpac for $140 million would result in the lender being rendered effectively worthless, its shareholders were warned yesterday. .... [more]
27/10/07
KFC franchisees face losing licences. Question marks hang over the future of the KFC chain in WA after claims that the world’s biggest fast-food company, which owns the brand, is refusing to renew the franchise licences of the popular restaurants. .... [more]
26/10/07
What would franchising be like under Labor? The Coalition parties may be the natural allies of the small businesses that make up the franchising industry, but Labor’s small business spokesman Craig Emerson is campaigning hard in the franchising community. .... [more]
26/10/07
Franchise lobby body set up. Australia's franchise lobby group Franchise Council of Australia has given franchisees one voice on its 11-member board, but will have to wait another 12 months to vote. .... [more]
23/10/07
Coffee Club grows and grows. Coffee Club's owners look forward to seeing their chain at the forefront of the fledgling café societies of Asia: from Bangkok to Dubai, Mumbai, Seoul and Beijing. .... [more]
22/10/07
Major franchise brands accused. Some of the biggest brands in franchising are being accused of fraud, collusion, and unconscionable conduct against their franchisees. .... [more]
19/10/07
Griffith researchers to reduce franchising conflicts. Researchers at Griffith University will work to reduce conflict in the franchising sector, after being awarded an Australian Research Council (ARC) linkage grant with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). .... [more]
19/10/07
Aussie Domino's eyes bigger slice of Europe market. Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd, the Australian franchise of the US pizza chain, will add at least 35 stores in Europe each year until it hits a target of 1000 stores, betting on rising demand for home delivered food. .... [more]
17/10/07
Gloria Jeans named PwC food franchisor of the year. Gloria Jean’s Coffee has been named the Food Franchisor of the Year 2007 at the PricewaterhouseCoopers Excellence in Franchising Awards. .... [more]
15/10/07
Franchisers told where to go. The most promising overseas market for Australian franchisers is not China or the US but India, according to speakers at a franchising conference in Melbourne. .... [more]
11/10/07
Collins buys Book City group. Collins Booksellers has bought the Book City group for an undisclosed sum, effectively doubling its size and putting a major new operator in the Australian market. .... [more]
10/10/07
No RAMS in BankWest plans. BankWest has ruled out a rival bid for the franchise network of troubled non-bank lender RAMS Home Loans, saying it will remain focused on organic growth. .... [more]
10/10/07
Franchise industry on show. The National Franchise and Small Business Convention begins tomorrow as 800 national and international guests from the franchising industry gather in Melbourne for the four day event. .... [more]
9/10/07
Another RAMS raid predicted. Shares in RAMS Home Loans Group plunged even further yesterday, despite speculation of a rival bid for its franchise network. .... [more]
4/10/07
Backyard blitz: McDonald's claims name game success. McDonald's is claiming a competition in which it asked consumers to name one of its burgers to be the most successful online promotion in Australia to date. .... [more]
4/10/07
Branches may switch to franchise model. Westpac will convert some of its existing branches to franchise operations, using the purchase of RAMS' network of 92 home loan centres operated by 53 franchisees to flesh out its plans. .... [more]
3/10/07
Westpac acquires RAMS franchise business. Troubled mortgage lender RAMS Home Loans has been thrown a life line by Westpac Bank, which will buy a $140 million stake in the business and provide it with $2 billion in funding. .... [more]
2/10/07
Franchise Retail Group boosts guidance. Franchisor Retail Food Group expects to boost its earnings per share this year by 50 per cent, after swallowing the Michel's Pattisserie chain and Brumby's Bakeries. .... [more]
28/9/07
Holiday Shoppe demands fair play from Stella Travel Ltd. Travel franchise Holiday Shoppe and its owner Stella Travel Ltd have been caught in a recent series of arguments concerning allegations from franchise owners that Stella Travel Ltd has breached the fundamentals of their contract. .... [more]
25/9/07
Franchise fever grips nation. More than ever, Australian business owners are turning to franchising as a way to spread their operations and their brands across borders. .... [more]
24/9/07
ACCC sets record straight on franchising. New online information outlining the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's processes for investigating complaints about franchisors has been launched. .... [more]
21/9/07
Load up 40 videos on iPod, pay as you watch. Video Ezy is in talks with Apple over ways the companies can become partners on delivering movies to the video chain's customers electronically. .... [more]
20/9/07
7-Eleven boss feels pain of fuel wars. The petrol price war between Coles and Woolworths will continue despite attempts by the competition authority to investigate discounting, 7-Eleven boss Warren Wilmot says. .... [more]
20/9/07
Out to conquer the world. IT began with a humble video library. Now Bribie Island couple Glen and Kerrianne Hickman are on the way to fulfilling their bold vision of becoming "the world's first choice in home appliance renting" with their Mr Rental franchise growing to 50-plus stores throughout Australia and New Zealand. .... [more]
17/9/07
Aroma Café has wafting franchise success. Aroma Café has been named the WA Emerging Franchise System of the Year at the PricewaterhouseCoopers Excellence in Franchising Awards. .... [more]
14/9/07
Spring Hill centre wins 2007 Excellence in Franchising Award. Andrew Robertson, Franchisee owner of Worldwide Online Printing centres in Spring Hill and Rowes Arcade, has been awarded Queensland/Northern Territory Franchisee of the Year award for the PricewaterhouseCoopers 2007 Excellence in Franchising Awards. .... [more]
13/9/07
Filling in holes: doughnut giant gobbles cake chain. Retail Food Group, the franchisor for Donut King and bb's cafes, yesterday agreed to buy Michel's Group, the owner of the Michel's Patisserie franchise network, for a possible $88 million in cash and scrip. .... [more]
8/9/07
The fruit of his labours. Bill Kollatos is the epitome of the hard-working small businessman. Before franchising his fruit and vegetable delivery business, Yarra Valley Farms, he was spending so much time at the company's warehouse that he decided to move in. .... [more]
5/9/07
Super Franchise Me. What happens when a franchisor has outlets in practically every shopping centre across the nation, or a shop on every corner? While it might appear the company has reached maturity and exhausted options for expansion, it doesn't necessarily mean the company's growth has to stop there. .... [more]
3/9/07
Betta Electrical expands into the Blue Mountains again. National franchisor BSR Australia Limited has expanded its regional NSW presence with a prominent electrical retailer in the Blue Mountains reverting back to the Betta Electrical brand name from another retail group. .... [more]
3/9/07
Record result for Harvey Norman. Retailer Harvey Norman has posted a "best ever" profit and promised shareholders there is plenty more to come. .... [more]
1/9/07
BSR opens in Sydney CBD in ongoing metropolitan expansion plan. BSR Australia Limited, the national franchisor of the reinvigorated Betta Electrical group, has announced the opening of an 850 square metre Betta Electrical store in the World Square Shopping Centre building on George Street in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. .... [more]
30/8/07
Do's and dont's of franchising. Choosing the right people as franchisees and not rushing into the market were crucial to a successful franchised business, two national experts have told a franchising conference. .... [more]
24/8/07
Small Business Minister sides with franchisees. Franchise systems have more than six months to implement reforms aimed at boosting transparency in the Franchising Code of Conduct. .... [more]
21/8/07
Franchising transparency regulations reach Parliament. Regulations to boost transparency in the Franchising Code of Conduct (the Code) and increase the quality and timeliness of information provided to franchisees were tabled in Federal Parliament yesterday. .... [more]
16/8/07
Franchising body head quits. Richard Evans, the chief executive of Australia's largest franchising body, has resigned to take up a position as executive director with the Australian Retailers Association, replacing David Edwards. .... [more]
13/8/07
Allied Brands seeking more acquisitions. Allied Brands Ltd is on the lookout for more acquisitions, after swallowing the Cookie Man franchise system and digesting the Kenny's Cardiology chain. .... [more]
12/8/07
Franchisors step into workplace debate. Franchising's peak body is planning to crack down on unfair treatment of employees in a bid to avoid further embarrassment by allegations of breaches in workplace laws. .... [more]
10/8/07
Quizno's promises to refund franchisee fees. Investors in Quizno's franchises will get their fees back following an investigation by the ACCC. .... [more]
10/8/07
ACCC plans crackdown on misleading conduct. Australia's corporate regulator Graeme Samuel has vowed to take aggressive legal action against businesses displaying unconscionable conduct, after sandwich chain Quizno's Sub escaped prosecution for making false claims to a group of franchisees. .... [more]
8/8/07
D'Tandoor To Bring Malaysian Kitchen To Australia. Restaurant operator D'Tandoor Food Industries Sdn Bhd (D'Tandoor) will be opening up five 'Malaysian Kitchen' restaurants in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Canberra, Australia early next year. .... [more]
3/8/07
Private equity slices off Cartridge World. Fast-growing Adelaide franchisor Cartridge World is expected to double in size by 2010 after its takeover by management and NSW private-equity firm Wolseley. .... [more]
3/8/07
Franchisers urge respect for young staff. The Franchise Council of Australia (FCA) has urged greater respect for staff members by franchisees in the wake of a case in which workers were expected to find shift replacements if they were off sick. .... [more]
24/7/07
BSR retailers buoyant about 2008. Franchisor BSR Australia has named a new board elected by member stores at their annual conference in Auckland. .... [more]
24/7/07
Bakery agreement sparks war of words. A workplace agreement at a Bakers Delight franchise in Sydney's south, which stated workers would be sacked if they called in sick, has sparked a war of words between state and federal employment authorities. .... [more]
19/7/07
Lifestyle Innovations sells first MobileStore franchise. A mobile store franchise concept launched in March has its first franchisee up and running in Albury Wodonga. .... [more]
17/7/07
McDonald's gives budding marketers chance to shine. In line with a growing trend to involve consumers in marketing, McDonald's is launching a major promotion this Sunday asking customers to help it name a new burger. .... [more]
12/7/07
Q400 franchise company a winner for self-employed women. With a national average of 20 percent of franchises of small businesses owned by women, Q400 company Aussie Pooch Mobile is way ahead of the pack, with 65 percent of its franchises now owned by Australian businesswomen. .... [more]
11/7/07
Service station franchisee alleges Caltex TPA breach. A Caltex franchisee is suing the petrol giant for unconscionable conduct and breaching the Trade Practices Act,claiming damages of more than $1million. .... [more]
10/7/07
Harvey Norman franchisee stung for ads. A Harvey Norman franchisee in the southern suburbs of Adelaide has admitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) a promotional campaign may have been misleading. .... [more]
6/7/07
Barter Exchange Swaps Its Own Franchises. OzoneCard Australia, an International excess capacity barter exchange, announced today that it would sell some of its regional franchise across Australia – without any cash changing hands. .... [more]
6/7/07
Harvey Norman Could Increase Franchising Margins. Retail analyst Credit Suisse has predicted share price increases for Harvey Norman and JB-Hi-Fi and a case for increasing franchising margins for Harvey Norman as a result of the recent restructuring at Retravision and Betta Electrical. .... [more]
5/7/07
RFG to compulsory acquire Brumby's. Retail Food Group Ltd will move to compulsory acquire Brumby's Bakeries Holdings Ltd, having won the backing of more than 90 per cent of the bakery group's shareholders for its takeover of the company. .... [more]
4/7/07
Betta Electrical charges back into black. BSR Australia, the parent company of Betta Electrical and Chandlers, is back in the black for the first time since its predecessor went into administration last year. .... [more]
2/7/07
How to create a great franchising manual. Franchise operations manuals get bad press. Considered by many to be good for nothing more than door stops or foot rests, they are, in fact, crucial business components serving three primary purposes. .... [more]
2/7/07
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