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Yorkshire Franchise Show arrives in Leeds for second year running
The exhibition showcases 35+ innovative, inspiring and proven franchised business formulas handing you a safer and supportive way to start your own business. And all exhibitors have licenses available for the Yorkshire region and beyond
The event is a one-stop-franchise-shop for the general public - and the shows are hosted with a smile. They're are unstuffy, relaxed, informative and somewhere amongst the exhibitors youre sure to find your perfect business format.
Free entry. Free car parking. Easy to find venue. And once here, you can browse the businesses on offer and take in drop-in workshops advising on finance and start up enterprise
You're looking for that new challenge this year? Then well see you at Elland Road in February and well hand you the keys to a new self employed career.
Saturday, 27th February 2010
Elland Road Conference Centre
Leeds United FC
LS11 0ES
Can Technology change the way we franchise?
Whether you are developing your own franchise business or looking to join another, you need to outsmart the competition, keep your overheads down and above all conquer the ever talked about recession. So how can you not only survive the recession, but come out the other end smiling? One common claim by franchisors is that software can be a valuable weapon, helping you manage and grow your business. But are these claims really true?
We asked industry expert George Perfect, a consultant for Biznik, how he feels software is used in franchised businesses today. He stated that "Although most businesses use IT daily, many restrict this to just the basic accounts and office software. Some companies have now gone further and started to use software to manage relationships between franchisees and franchisors, improving the franchisees experience and making their business more competitive"
Many franchisors have experienced the benefits that a well-designed franchise management system can bring. Simon Albert from The PC Support Group chose to use software to help manage his franchise as he felt it would help with his franchise recruitment. "The fact that we use central software to manage basic sales lead activities like appointment setting and opportunity management is a big bonus for new recruits - it shows just how much we care about their success". His fast growing IT franchise used Franchise 360 designed by GreyRidge Software "because it works the way we do, fast and to the point."
Another success story comes from Ginny Murphy, BFA member and CEO of The Wheel Specialist. She bought in software to gain a better understanding of her business as a whole and to help her monitor her growing franchise network wherever she was in the world. The software we use directs us towards activities that will help us to grow, giving us the efficiency and visibility that helps our business succeed."
Many businesses worry that investing in software is an expense that they could do without. George Perfect disagrees "Actually, it is the other way around. Those that don't invest in smart systems are stacking up big problems for themselves and might well lose their competitive edge over time. Plus, due to the recession there are some great deals around at the moment".
If you are looking to invest in technology, experts recommend that you work with a good supplier, who knows exactly how your business can benefit from a system. Many software houses will tell you that each franchise is the same and an off the shelf product will do. Realistically, only you know your business, if you can work with a supplier who understands what you need your system could deliver great results. As ever in franchising keep your eyes on the money and shop around until you find a system and a supplier which suits the way your business works.
How To Deal With Low Morale During A Recession
Worry causes stress and right now job insecurity is every employee's biggest worry - no-one can guarantee that people won't lose jobs - who knows how much longer the recession will last - but what you can do, as a team leader, manager or business owner, is be aware' of the signs of low morale and stress, and step in as quickly as possible to do something about it.
If you are a sensory' manager or business owner - you will actually feel' low morale. You will sense a deadness or an apathy in your people. And being sensory you will pick up that lack of energy very quickly.
However, for non-sensory managers or owners, there are some very clear signs that morale is dipping in your team or business.
The signs are:
Sickness levels will increase as people start to succumb to various bodily symptoms - headaches; insomnia; an increased susceptibility to colds and flu because they are feeling low
Accidents will increase as a result of low attention to detail
Productivity will be affected - and no amount of whip cracking will help
So here are my ten tips for dealing with low morale and worker stress during a recession - or during ANY turbulent times...
1. COMMUNICATE - in the absence of real information (even bad news) employees will speculate; the gossip mill will be rife and stories become embellished with the telling. Be honest and be honest frequently. Keep people informed
2. Celebrate the good stuff - even if there isn't much to celebrate right now FIND SOME THINGS - and do this also on a frequent basis - like Today we salvaged a customer who was going elsewhere and we did it by offering them the very best customer service and care'
3. Involve your staff - have regular brain storming session about ways to create efficiencies and reward the best ideas with 2 movie tickets ($40 won't break the bank)
4. Have a theme' of the week - like this week we are going to have a quality' drive - anyone who can improve the quality of any system or process can have Friday afternoon off
5. Do an employee draw and let the winner spend a morning in a different department - amazing what people see in another area
6. If the office or plant is fairly quiet - ask everyone to write down ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN on a piece of post-it pad - and ONE THING I'D LIKE TO TEACH - and let people pair up for a couple of hours a week
7. Offer a Mystery weekend for the very best idea anyone can come up with for a new product or service
8. Organise a few impromptu things - like ask everyone to bring in a plate and have a joint breakfast - organize a temp for ONE HOUR to man the phones - use this opportunity to let your people know how much you value them.
9. Have a weekly employee draw and let the winner go out and visit a client or a supplier- getting to know our customers and suppliers face-to-face is a huge energy boost for both parties - they may even come back with an order or reduced supply cost!
10. Instead of an employee of the week' which has become a bit yawn, yawn, have a competition one Friday afternoon for joke of the week - or song of the week - or story of the week... prize can be as simple as a bar of chocolate
When I sent the tips over to the journalist she commented that what I seemed to be saying was have more fun' at work. Yes and no. Fun is great - I have no problem with creating a fun place to work. But this is about more than fun - it is about re-energising people; which is very different from just having a fun day. After all, who will appreciate a fun theme when their job is at risk - it is almost insulting.
So the theme to my tips is more about finding cheap ways to keep people energized and interested - there is nothing that affects productivity so much as lack of energy.
My belief is that if you keep finding ways to keep the energy levels high, even though sales might be low, people will be motivated to come to work; they will be motivated to get involved in all the productivity improvement ideas, because involvement has been fun and creative rather than a whip across their shoulders.
Recessions can be the best thing that has ever happened to your business. They can actually bring your business to LIFE!
About the author: Ann Andrews is a specialist in working with high performing teams. An ex work study engineer and initiator of self-managed teams in a manufacturing organisation, Ann is now an international speaker; HR consultant; team facilitator; author and the creator of The Corporate Toolbox. She has written four books and contributed to five others. One of her books Did I Really Employ You? is being translated into Arabic and Russian. Ann is a past National President of NSANZ (National Speakers' Association of NZ) and a CSP (Certified Professional Speaker) one of only 120 women in the world who have achieved this standard of accreditation.
Seeking the Holy Grail of Online Advertising
Because online advertising can seem easy at first, many companies go about it the wrong way. Too many people see online advertising in the same way as traditional offline advertising. In the real world a business succeeds partly through making their brand constantly visible, regularly bringing it to the attention of potential customers, through such media as mail shots, flyers, leaflets, business cards, radio and television. But this principle does not apply online in the same way.
Bombarding people with banner adverts and emails will more than likely result in your email address becoming added to spam lists, and rarely seen.
Banner adverts are becoming less popular as more and more people use software which filters out banners and adverts on web pages. Instead, tactics such as article distribution, backlinks, reciprocal links, search engine optimization and other techniques help to advertise and promote your business using a form of online advertising more akin to voting.
It is the companies online who are linked to, recommended, promoted and referred to across many different websites who become more visible, rising up the search engine results and being viewed more frequently on Google.
Knowing your niche market, and identifying appropriate keywords will help you to tailor your online advertising and promotion to the audience you are trying to reach. With so many millions of people online, it is important that your advertising is designed to target the right people, in the right way, rather than attempting to bombard as many people as possible with your brand.
One of the biggest challenges as far as online advertising is concerned is identifying ways in which you can communicate your message to the right people in ways which will not have your advert either ignored, overlooked or specifically filtered. The problem is that most users have become wise to banners along the top of websites, and vertical skyscraper banners along the side of some pages too. This has resulted in many users developing filtered vision, so that they become unconscious of these adverts.
To overcome this method of not seeing or overlooking adverts, some advertisers have developed adverts which cannot possibly be ignored or overlooked, with flashy colors, vibrant hues and rapid movement designed to grab attention. The trouble is that most of these adverts are embedded on web pages that the user has specifically navigated to for the purpose of finding out information, rather than being bombarded with a carnival of hypnotic gaiety designed to wrestle their eyeballs to the ground and force them to read the advert.
The trouble here is that this often results in resentment - not a good start for anyone attempting to use online advertising to attract customers.
Most modern web browsers have the option to filter certain advertisers'
messages and adverts, and if you resort to gross harassment of the peripheral vision, you are likely to find your adverts never even seen.
This begs the question - how can you possibly be successful when it comes to advertising online if an increasing number of visitors have developed the art of blinkered vision for those adverts which are calm and gentle, and actively filter those adverts which jump out in an attempt to grab attention?
The answer is simple - as with all forms of advertising, whether on the internet or in the real world - you have to think along different lines.
There are many examples of internet advertising trends which have become hugely successful, and although copying these ideas doesn't necessarily guarantee success, in some cases they can be worth pursuing, and if nothing else, they serve as examples of the fact that alternatives do exist.
Viral videos or viral advertisements are perhaps the greatest success story in online advertising. This is where a company or business creates what seems to be a spoof advertisement, or simple a very clever one, which has a massive appeal that makes people want to share the video with their friends and family. A hilarious, quirky, weird or thought provoking video, which may not even make it explicitly obvious at first that it is an advert at all, can often find itself receiving millions of hits, and being forwarded and shared across the internet at a rate which no normal advertising medium could possibly hope to match. Although instances of this are rare, they do exist, and are well worth considering.
One of the modern trends in internet technology is the wide range of ways in which people can share links, through website such as del.icio.us, digg.com, stumbleupon.com and network sites such as FaceBook. Finding a way to encourage users to share your adverts, videos and other content through these sites is perhaps the best possible way of promoting your site or services, at relatively little cost. It's not guaranteed, and does represent something of a gamble, but the benefit of success in this field of online advertising is phenomenal, and unrivaled by any other form of advertising.
Naz Daud is the founder of CityLocal. This Franchise Opportunity is for people who would like to work from home and be their own boss.
Papa John’s Spends Dough on New Plant
The company is investing in a new Quality Control Centre, including dough plant, which will cater for the expanding company’s production needs going forward.
The detached factory on Northfield Drive in Milton Keynes covers nearly 50 thousand square feet, providing literally acres of space to produce 100% fresh dough for Papa John’s stores across the UK. The plant is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2010.
Papa John’s investment in the new plant follows the opening of 17 stores in this country since the beginning of 2009. The company is aiming to have opened 40 new stores by the end of the year.
The site of the new dough factory enjoys a prime location close to Junction 14 of the M1, making it the ideal distribution base. The M25, M6 and A14 are all within close range, and the centre of Milton Keynes is less than two miles away. The site will also result in the creation of at least 20 jobs.
The Quality Control Centre, which is situated in a prominent corner position, is fully secure and features freezer and chill stores, a detached laboratory and a staff canteen. There is also a significant amount of office space on the site.
Papa John’s Pizza’s UK Managing Director, Ian Saunders, said: “Our new dough plant will provide more than adequate space to cope with our expansion plans, and we are delighted to have secured such a fantastic site. The excellent facilities at the factory will allow us greater control over quality and, as Papa John’s is famous for using 100% fresh dough 100% of the time, this plant is vital to that ethos going forward.
“We are aiming to open another 20 stores across the UK and Ireland this year, bringing our total to more than 150. We expect to be able to continue this momentum and our five year goal is to have at least 300 stores open by the end of 2013.
“We will therefore ‘grow into’ this plant, and believe it will allow us to reach for the sky in the UK pizza delivery market. The purchase of the site has created a huge buzz in the company because, following on from a series of strong financial results, it is further proof that Papa John’s UK is going places. We are very much looking forward to moving in in a few weeks time.”
As property prices hit rock bottom, we give you our Top Tips on making fast cost savings
Q) In the current economic climate, what
would be your top tips for helping
companies make fast savings in their
property costs?
A) There are 4 key strategies. The first one
would be for example, to try and pay your
rent monthly instead of quarterly. Secondly,
it may be worth trying to trade one of your
lease clauses, for example you may be able
to negotiate a period of 3-6 months rent free
in exchange for handing something back to
the landlord. A common one would be for
example a break clause. Thirdly, if you are
struggling to pay your rent, it may be
worthwhile contacting your landlord and
negotiating a short term period of reduction,
whilst you are finding it difficult. Finally if
you have part of your accommodation
empty it could be possible to sub-let part of
that accommodation. You would of course
need to check your lease, but it’s something
that’s worth considering
Q) What other options are available to
companies if they now have empty floor
space, due to downsizing?
A) It could be possible to lodge an empty
rates application on the vacant parts of the
accommodation. It could be rooms or it could
be sections of a building. As a rule of thumb,
you would pay nothing for 3 months on
vacant shops and offices and you would pay
nothing on industrial properties for 6 months.
Q) Does the space need to be empty to
qualify for the relief?
A) Not necessarily, each local authority is
different but as a rough rule of thumb, I would
usually recommend moving any office
furniture into the least valuable space.
Q) Is there any other scope to reduce
business rates?
A) Yes it is still possible to actually
challenge your normal rating assessment.
They revaluate every 5 years. The current
one is still effective until 2010. You can
appeal their decision and get a reduction all
the way back to 2005.
Q) Typically from your experience, what
savings can be achieved?
A) It does vary depending on the property
types, but on average we can achieve a saving
of 14% per annum.
It started with a Nib
To celebrate its fifth anniversary, MP-PR announces its new brand identity and radically revamped website.
During a consultative process that included one graphic designer, two franchising professionals, and a visit to the pub to scratch out some ideas on the back of a beer mat, MP-PR’s new branding was born.
Having spent the last three months locked away in a darkened room designing, developing and fine tuning the website, MP-PR founder Matt Pigott and company director Alex Waite are now ready to pull up the blinds to tell the franchising world about the company’s latest developments.
Says Matt: “I’ve always loved the pen as part of MP-PR’s branding, but now it’s got a more modern, abstract feel to it. The silhouette of the pen nib on the new site represents the passion that we have for high quality writing and design.”
With a host of added extras, including valuable hints and tips to help franchisors recruit franchisees, the new site is an altogether better browsing experience.
“The vibrant pink was chosen to contrast with the standard blacks, whites and greys of the business world,” says Matt. “I wanted a certain joie de vivre to leap out from the brand, and I think we’ve succeeded in achieving that. Now we have a highly memorable, future-proof identity. Who knows, one day I might even franchise the business myself!”
Adds company director, Alex Waite: “As a PR consultancy that specialises in franchising, MP-PR’s new website needed to demonstrate a clear understanding of the franchise industry, a firm grasp of good copywriting, an eye for design and a handle on social media and modern marketing techniques. What people are realising today is that good sites aren’t just online brochures; they are entities that live, breathe and develop. Moreover, they should be interactive to encourage people to revisit the site. And that’s why we’ll be moving with the times and adding new content to the site every day.”
Designed and built entirely in-house MP-PR’s new site is simple to use, easily navigated and creatively fuses elements of business and fun.
Listen to MP-PR’s tune of the week, follow the directors on Twitter, get handy marketing hints and tips and learn more about MP-PR’s services as the franchise industry’s leading PR specialists
Going from strength to strength
An exciting new store design has now been put in place in all new stores and where there has been a change of ownership. This includes the fascia, counter area, the introduction of an obligatory new touch screen EPOS system supplied by Integer and a state-of-the-art hot bag system.
Tasty additions to the product range include even more new pizzas, stuffed crust pizzas, potato skins, oven chips, all of which have proved to be a great success. A new range of soft drinks was added in July. Perfect Pizza is cooking up a storm with the quality and range of menu and giving the competition a real run for their money.
The appointment of marketing agency STEEL - to handle strategy, creative and production of all customer communications - has lead to an exciting marketing push for summer.
Furthermore, the Perfect Pizza website has been radically improved by Perfect Pizza's web agency, to make the most of the benefits of ordering online. Orders made via the website have increased by a massive 80% over the last 10 months and now account for almost 12% of all sales. STEEL re-launched the latest updated Website in Dec 2008.
Perfect Pizza has also been investing in the right people, bringing in experienced Regional Managers, expanding the Accounts and Marketing Departments and continuing the excellent level of service from the company's 30,000 sq. ft. Head Office and Distribution Centre in Staffordshire.
To consolidate this success and to continue to build for the future, the following changes to the management structure will be made:
Tony Sherriff will continue as Managing Director, working closely with the Board and Senior Team in a more strategic role and will explore options for non-organic growth for the business.
Paul McGee, who steered the company through the challenges of the buy out, will continue as Finance Director with responsibility for IT.
Following a successful period running the Marketing Department, Simon Jarvis is promoted to Marketing Director and responsible for New Product Development. It is planned that additional personnel will be added to Marketing in order to accelerate our momentum in the market.
To strengthen our Operations Division, Gareth Davies has joined as Operations Director. Starting in September, he was headhunted from Pizza Hut and brings with him over 20 years' sector experience. Most recently Gareth worked as Franchise Business Manager for Pizza Hut UK. Previously he had success as Senior Area Manager where he helped increase profitability substantially. He also worked for 3 years as Operations Manager for Pizza Hut and KFC in Northern Ireland and Eire.
Phil Welberry has been promoted to Head of Franchise Sales and Credit Control, supported by Paul Youngman and Richard Perkins who will look after new store openings and change of hands.
MD Tony Sherriff said "I would like to welcome Gareth Davies to Perfect Pizza. I feel that his experience, industry knowledge and motivational skills will be crucial to the operational development of Perfect Pizza and we are eagerly anticipating the results of his energetic style in his contribution to our companys development."
Gareth Davies said "I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with the team at Perfect Pizza at this exciting time. The energy, enthusiasm and passion for the brand I have seen so far have been phenomenal.
"I am very impressed by the progress that has been made since the change of ownership and am looking forward to meeting the franchisees and employees alike and I am certain that together we can continue to drive this brand forward and compete strongly with the best in our sector."
A first in the UK
In September 2006, we were the first company in the UK to be awarded the new BRC Level 1 Accreditation for Storage & Distribution.
As well as managing storage and distribution operations to our own stores, we also operate a full 3rd party service for Papa John’s (GB) Pizza Ltd and its 85 stores. We also fulfil a picking operation for Freshway Foods Ltd on behalf of one of the country’s top 5 supermarket chains.
“Our ability to react to our customers’ requirements is due to our flexibility and a team of staff who really care” said Alistair Waite, General Manager (Purchasing & Distribution).
“This national award has acknowledged our high standards and has given us the potential to offer a high class service to our clients.”
Welcome to the all new perfectpizza.co.uk
The pizza chooser makes ordering your favourites easier than ever. And, when you create an account, well remember your last 5 orders so you can repeat a previous order with the click of your mouse.
When you get close to qualifying for a deal well show you how much you could save. And any discounts you qualify for are automatically applied to your basket. Thats our online Perfect Price Promise in action.
The Charity Support
These donations do not in any way affect the profits that our franchisees make because the donations are made directly to NBCS by ChariSnack on a monthly basis, as the products are ordered.
NBCS is the UK’s leading children’s charity supporting children who are blind and visually impaired. It focuses on helping them to gain the skills and the confidence they need to lead as full a life as possible.
ChariSnack franchisees help NBCS simply by developing their own business and maximising sales. They are instrumental in helping raise much needed funds to progress the invaluable work undertaken by the charity.
Franchisees also benefit from the fact that all our packaging and point of sale materials are heavily branded with the high profile NBCS logo and a statement informing customers that 10% of all sales net of VAT will be donated to the charity. This ensures customers are likely to purchase more of the heathier snack options and will want to continue with the service knowing that they too are supporting the work of this fantastic children’s charity.
“How will you feel knowing that your business is helping NBCS support these children and their families by providing the following services?”
Education Advisory Service
CustomEyes large print books
ICT and Sensory Equipment
Holidays and Activities
Individual and Family Support
Campaigning and Advocacy
Information Resources on Visual Impairment
"I know how the team at ChariSnack feel - GREAT!”
UK PLCs Missing Major Cost Saving Opportunity
It isn’t just MPs and Cabinet Ministers Iwho should have an eagle eye on their
expenses. The same goes for businesses
throughout the UK, according to a new study
conducted by research organisation YouGov.
More than a third (34%) of the 1,320 board
directors and senior managers interviewed
said that their organisations had not put in
place any cost reduction programmes for
business expenditure during the last six
months and nearly half of respondents (46%)
had not conducted any contract renegotiations
with suppliers since September 2008, when
the steep decline in the economy started. And
more than half of all respondents (56%) felt
they could achieve cost savings of 6% or
more for their businesses.
The study – Is your Business COSTING
you? - was commissioned by the Expense
Reduction Analysts’ Centre for Cost
and Purchase ManagementTM, to gain insights
into business expenditure management
from board directors and senior
managers across the country and a range of
industries.
Other findings included:
where contract renegotiations have taken
place, only 16% had gained an extension
in credit terms; and just 8% had
managed to change payment terms from
advance to arrears. In addition, just 36%
had negotiated a reduction in prices and
only 18% had agreed changes to service
level agreements to be more appropriate
to their requirements.
just 33% of those interviewed said their
organisations had measured cost
reduction achievements and only the
same percentage had benchmarked
suppliers’ costs in the marketplace over
the last 12 months.
less than 1 in 10 of respondents were
very satisfied with their organisations’
drives to reduce such business expenditure.
the biggest barrier to reducing costs, as
experienced by respondents, was lack of
time (39%).
39% of respondents said they had not
carried out any checks on the financial
standing of their suppliers and 18%
indicated that they had only conducted
checks every year or longer than a year.
51% of those interviewed did not feel their
checks on suppliers were adequate.
Robert Allison, Managing Director of
Expense Reduction Analysts, the UK’s
largest Cost and Purchase ManagementTM
consultancy says: “It is clear that a major
opportunity to retain profit during these
harsh times is going begging.
The prime focus for companies is the top
line – with 57% of respondents stating
increasing sales as the priority for increasing
profitability. However, the study highlights
that there is also a major opportunity to
increase the bottom line by reviewing and
taking action on day-to-day business
expenditure, which in many cases has gone
unchecked for a long time.
The survey also reveals that there is an
opportunity to renegotiate contractual
terms harder with suppliers during these
tough times. However this should not be
at the expense of the quality of service you
receive as this could impact on your
service to customers.”
He added: “It should be noted that any
reductions in business expenditure go
straight to the bottom line. Therefore, on a
typical industry profit margin of around
8%, a business would need to generate
sales of a quarter of a million pounds to
make the same bottom line impact as cost
savings of just £20,000.”
Colin Mills, CEO and Founder of The FD
Centre, a provider of part-time Financial
Directors, comments: “It is clear to see
that there is a significant untapped
opportunity for businesses of all sizes to
reduce costs, particularly important during
the current harsh economic climate.
Companies have been feeling the pressure
of the recession for some time now and they
really now need to step up to the mark in
terms of developing effective cost
management strategies, whether it be wider
and tighter benchmarking of suppliers,
measuring cost reduction achievements or
renegotiating contractual terms. By doing so
not only will they steer their
organisations through the current economic
crisis, but they will also ensure their companies
will be stronger when recovery returns.”
World Famous Founder Set For St Albans Seminar
John Schnatter, the youngest person ever to be inducted into the US Business Hall of Fame, has built his delivery and takeaway chain from one store in a Kentucky broom cupboard to 3,400 outlets across 30 different countries - generating a staggering $1.13 billion in 2008 alone.
Still the current chairman and CEO of the global phenomenon, John became fascinated with serving quality food while working in a local pizza parlour at the age of 15, and later sold his treasured Camaro to fund the purchase of his first oven and mixer.
Today the Camaro is back, sitting proudly in the foyer of Papa John’s multi-million dollar head office in Louisville, Kentucky – and the man behind the empire is ready to pass on some of the key points behind his success at a seminar in St Albans on Tuesday May 12th 2009.
The event will take place from 3pm to 4pm at Papa John’s St Albans store, 182 Hatfield Road and places are offered free of charge, but are strictly limited and registration is required.
Papa John’s UK managing director Ian Saunders is delighted that the company founder, who was also named as one of the Outstanding Young Americans at the turn of the century, will tell his story to UK business people.
M/F
He said: “John is one of the most inspirational people on the planet when it comes to putting your finger on the desire and drive that you need to turn a germ of a business idea into a huge success story.
“Opportunities to hear him talk in this kind of format are very limited and we are honoured that he has agreed to take some time out of his UK tour of stores to tell people how it all happened for him.
“As a franchise business we know that this country has a whole host of budding entrepreneurs who are looking for help and advice on how to really take their ideas and ambitions and turn them into results – and there is no better role model for that than John.”
Quarter Two Figures From Papa John's UK
The delivery and take home specialists reported a total sales increase of over 30% in the period from April to June, with comparative sales 14% up on the same period in 2008.
That progress follows hot on the heels of a 8.5% increase in the first quarter of this year – and will be the springboard for further sales push which will see increased investment in the business.
The investment will see the launch of Papa John’s own UK dough production facility, to support franchisees the UK business and continue innovation and development.
Q2 Highlights:
• Like-for-like sales growth was at 14 per cent in quarter 2 2009 (8.5% Q1)
• System sales rose by 30.6 per cent in Q2 (12.2% Q1).
• 7 new stores have been opened taking the total number of Papa John’s to 135 in the UK and Ireland. In 2009, 17 new stores have been opened.
• On-line sales increased in 2009 Q2 by 39.4 per cent on 2008 Q2 figures, with 25.9% of all orders coming through this channel – showing continued growth on the previous quarter.
New Investment:
• Growth in company has led to increased investment in infrastructure with plans announced for the creation of a new dough plant that is needed to cater for the company’s expanding production requirements.
Managing Director’s comment:
UK MD Ian Saunders
Our results show that the business model and management here in the UK is continuing to reap dividends, delivering greater growth than we posted in quarter one.
We have had an exceptional start to the first six months of the year and it appears that our core brand focal points of tremendous pizza quality, menu innovation and strong value position is helping us to make further headway in the UK pizza market.
Over the past 12 months we have continued to focus very strongly on every aspect of our ‘Better Ingredients. Better Pizza’ proposition, and we believe it is this commitment that has led to our growth in sales.
Our recent success has created a buzz about the brand that is fuelling future growth and this is particularly noticeable in London. In May our founder, John Schnatter, joined us from the States to celebrate the opening of our 50th London store and since then we have continued to increase our presence within the M25. This has allowed us to maximise our marketing efforts leading to a successful advertising campaign throughout quarter 2.
We have now seen Papa John’s grow substantially over the last four years with total sales increasing by 92%. Online incidence has doubled in the last three years. Openings have gathered pace with over 150 stores estimated by the end of 2009. The ‘pizzaiolo’ training programme continues our focus on improving the knowledge and skills of our pizza makers in every store and our pizza quality measurements show the benefits this has brought. Papa John’s is now finally fulfilling its potential here in the UK and this has led to us to look to ensure the foundations are there for us to move to the next level. We are investing in a new dough production facility which will provide the capacity for our growth going forward.
The excellent facilities at the 50,000 square feet production facility in Milton Keynes will allow us far greater control over quality and consistency as well as the capacity to produce our famous “100% fresh, never frozen” dough for Papa John’s stores across the UK.
On top of the incredible growth in online sales in 2008, we are continuing to see a shift in consumer ordering habits to online, with an increase of nearly 40 per cent (39.4%) in the second quarter, compared to the same period last year. We remain confident that by the end of 2009 we will have grown our sales average to at least 30% taken through our very easy to use on-line ordering website.
We have already opened 17 new stores in the first half of the year and we are confident that we will achieve our target of 30-40 new stores in 2009. We expect to be able to continue this momentum and our five year goal is to have a minimum of 300 stores open in the UK & Ireland by the end of 2013.
Graduate and ex-Office Manager, Gemma Thorne, explains why she chose the ChariSnack franchise back in 2005....
and then subsequently taking on an Office Manager role within the marketing sector, Gemma found that despite her success, she was struggling to meet her long term career aspirations and decided the time was right to look for an opportunity to take on greater challenges and run her own business.
Through considerable research, Gemma decided that franchising would be a great way to achieve her goals as she would have the independence to run her own business but would also have support from an experienced Franchisor to help guide her through the daunting prospect of setting up on her own and also help with the future development of her business.
Gemma was initially drawn to the ChariSnack franchise as healthy eating was a concept which interested her:
"Being able to provide this service directly to the public is a great concept, plus knowing that my work helps the National Blind Childrens Society is an extra bonus."
Gemma also enthuses on the supplementary Sweet Support confectionary, scrumptious flapjacks and delicious 100% pure fruit smoothie ranges which are available to all ChariSnack franchisees:
"They are excellent ideas, the flapjacks have generated a large demand and I'm sure that with the recent introduction of the smoothie range, these will prove to be extremely popular too. The Sweet Support confectionery is a steady and constant range which helps supplement my core turnover and also offers a more diverse choice for my customers. As well as offering a healthier option, I can also offer my customers ’a bit of what they fancy’ too! The continuous introduction of new product ranges is extremely important for the business as it creates a new interest for the customers, which importantly generates an increase in sales."
Gemma’s previous experience of working as an office manager has certainly helped to establish excellent customer service skills which she has been able to apply to her business and aid her proactive attempts to establish new sites and make a success of her business.
Having invested in the Cardiff franchise territory for ChariSnack in 2005, Gemma reflects on what she most likes about running her own business and more importantly, explains her plans for the future:
“My ChariSnack business has been very fulfilling in terms of my career ambitions. The variety of my work as I complete on functions of the business, getting out there meeting people and having the independence of working for myself are all reasons why I am still running a successful franchise operation to this day.
The number of sites I have exceeds 260 which generates a healthy weekly turnover, and I have plans to increase that considerably over the next 6 months and continuously in the future. There are still big opportunities to increase the customer base in my territory even further through box sitings and retail opportunities. I am looking forward to seeing my business go from strength to strength!”
Hungry diners are tucking into a delicious new range of healthy meals - and it's all because of the recession.
An immediate success, it now has 70 franchise outlets across the country and delivered 26 million meals to 200,000 homes last year.
But Managing Director Ben Haynes is always looking for new ways to serve his customers and keep his company thriving in difficult times.
"The current economic climate means our efforts are focused on providing greater flexibility on deliveries and offering an even broader choice of products," Haynes said. .
"We listened to feedback from our customers who wanted a 'lighter bite' offering. This has led to the launch of a range of mini meals," Haynes said.
"We are also developing a range of community events to help reinforce loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendation.
" Thanks to its achievements Wiltshire has made it to the finals of the British Franchise Association's Franchisor Of The Year Award 2009.
The BFA said the award rewards insight and investment and aims to demonstrate that even during a downturn, there are still success stories to be told. This year's theme is Today's Foundations for Tomorrow's Success.
"Being shortlisted has given us a real boost," said Haynes.
"To win would mean that the efforts of every driver who has made a positive difference to the lives of over 200,000 elderly people that we serve in the UK every week has been recognised." The winners will be announced on June 18 at the East Midlands Conference Centre.
