Jamba Juice and Oatmeal

Jamba Juice joins oatmeal bandwagon
December 18, 2008
BY CHERYL V. JACKSON cjackson@suntimes.com
Jamba Juice wants to bowl over customers with its newest breakfast product. The smoothie company begins sales of oatmeal in Chicago this morning in advance of a national launch of the item next month.
Jamba, with about 700 stores, earlier this year introduced a breakfast menu nationwide.
Jamba Juice begins sales of oatmeal in Chicago Thursday morning in advance of a national launch of the item next month. (AP file)
With the oatmeal, it tries a product that's proved successful for coffee slinger Starbucks. Since its September addition oatmeal has become one of the best-selling food items in the Starbucks system, the company said.
Jamba and Starbucks join companies such as Potbelly and Corner Bakery in serving the product, playing to consumers looking for healthier, inexpensive and quick dining options.
The steel cut oatmeal, will sell for about $2.95 and come topped with sugar crumbs and bananas or apple-cinnamon or blueberry-blackberry blends.

Ambition Knows No Season

Ambition Knows No Season Michael Penn for The New York Times

By WELD ROYAL

Published: January 24, 2008

IN winter in Juneau, Alaska, snow blankets everything, bears hibernate and Grady Saunders, the owner of the Heritage Coffee Company, fills his schedule with trips to balmy coffee-growing parts of the world. He recently got back from a trip to Kona, Hawaii.

Michael Penn for The New York Times

Heritage Coffee stays open year-round, for locals like Barbara DeLong of Sitka, Alaska, who has been a customer for 20 years. Still, Mr. Saunders keeps his cafes and other retail outlets open year-round, even though for at least a third of the year, this tiny city seems an inhospitable place to run a business. Gone are the cruise ships that bring almost a million tourists to this southeast Alaska town from late spring to late summer. Locals number about 31,000, and many of them head for warmer climates as the days become short and temperatures drop. Seasonal changes in the economy are not unique to Alaska, of course. Most of the other 49 states have ups and downs depending on weather, school calendars or annual events. But the intensity of Alaska’s seasonal variation is greater than in any other state or the nation as a whole, according to Dan Robinson, an economist with the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development. He said Alaska’s economy loses about 10 percent of its jobs from August to January every year. It starts to gain back those jobs in January.Donald Getz, a University of Calgary business professor and author of “Event Management and Event Tourism,” who has studied small businesses operating in tourist-dependent economies, divides the owners into two types: lifestyle entrepreneurs and business growers. Lifestyle entrepreneurs, he said, want to live in a nice place and use their business income to help sustain their existence in towns that often are expensive places to live. Mr. Getz said these business owners often move with the seasons, running a bed and breakfast in Alaska in the summer, for instance, and another in Hawaii in winter. Business growers, in contrast, are ambitious, and want their operations to turn a profit. “They’re always on the lookout for opportunities that will see them through the quiet season,” he said.Mr. Saunders, 56, who has been in the coffee business for 33 years, falls into the second category. He has developed strategies to see Heritage through the inhospitable months. While summer days are a frenzy of hiring temporary workers, chasing after coffee beans that are missing and helping institutional customers during their busy season, he uses the fall and winter to meet suppliers. “The key to the specialty coffee business is growing better coffee, and for us that means checking out new farms, seeing their growing methods and how they treat their people,” he said. During the quiet season, Mr. Saunders has been to Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Kenya and Tanzania and plans a trip to Ethiopia in November.He has also come up with new ways to extend the summer season. Heritage developed a line of in-room single-serve coffee packages for the 150 or so hotels, lodges and bed and breakfasts throughout Southeast Alaska. They start ordering in mid-April, which means Heritage, which roasts and packages its own beans, starts preparing to ship coffee to the hotel industry in March. Mr. Saunders also opened a restaurant in Juneau two years ago that is a short walk from the state Capitol building for the 60 legislators, their aides and lobbyists in town for the legislative session, which starts in January. Some of Mr. Saunders’s diversification ideas have not worked out. He opened a cafe in Seattle, but sold it in a year, he said, after realizing the headaches of managing long distance. Dawn Walsh, 47, and Sydney Mitchell, 43, are also business growers. They are energetic, daring, even a bit crazy. After all, who else would open a boutique for stylish shoes in a town where it rains about 220 days a year and where snow may be on the ground until April? Almost three years ago, Ms. Walsh and Ms. Mitchell started Shoefly Inc., along Juneau’s harbor, across the street from the cruise ship docks. “Real Women Ignore the Weather” was used for an advertising campaign. The store’s shelves are stocked with red and white pumps with four-inch heels by Naughty Monkey, magenta suede shoes by Farylrobin and other footwear from European and American designers. In midwinter customers trickle in, one or two an hour, in contrast to as many as 200 a day in mid-July.

“Having that peak season makes a big difference in terms of what we can stock,” Ms. Mitchell said. That is because shoe manufacturers sell in bulk — a dozen pairs in a particular size and color, for instance. Local customers may buy a pair or two, but the store is not able to sell all of them without the summer traffic. “There are many women in Juneau who are fashion forward, but just not enough of them,” Ms. Mitchell said. The duo finds ways to lure those left in town into the store in cold months. They are currently holding a designer shoe and handbag consignment event. They price and help sell high-end items customers bring to them. They have also expanded. In October, they bought the nearby Hudsons Shoes, a 68-year-old institution that sells more conservative lines. With the purchase came about 150 pairs of unsold shoes from decades ago, including Converse sneakers from the 1970s and antique Buster Brown models for girls. In February, Ms. Walsh and Ms. Mitchell will hold a “vintage shoe sale” to move the historic merchandise. Marketing innovations, economic diversification and regulations have helped to ease some of Juneau’s seasonal swings, according to Lance Miller, until recently director of the Juneau Economic Development Council. Local contractors have found new ways to build indoors when the weather turns bad. The mining industry is much busier than it was a few years ago and the work is year-round. Mr. Miller said international fishing regulations have helped to spread out that industry’s catch periods. But Mark Stopha, a 43-year-old commercial fish seller, said winter remains slow. Mr. Stopha, who owns the Alaska Wild Salmon Company, said he often puts in 18-hour days in summer buying and selling salmon. In winter, he is in his home kitchen inventing new uses for fish. He said about 25 percent of his company’s revenue now comes from products with long shelf lives. Juneau in winter, he said, “is a great laboratory.”“If you’ve got something to try out, people have all the time in the world to talk to you.”

Retirees Filling the Front Line in Market Fears

With what is happening with the stock market right now....doesn't it make sense to look at franchising!?! Buying a franchise allows people to get in charge of their own financial future. They own a business that can create wealth. The problem with investing in stocks and public companies is that in most cases you don't truly know what the company is doing. Unless you sit on the board of the company you are investing in, you don't have control over what happens with your investments. Take control of your financial future through owning a franchise, it's worth thinking about. www.francorpconnect.com


Retirees Filling the Front Line in Market Fears

By JOHN LELAND and LOUIS UCHITELLE

Published: September 22, 2008 Older Americans with investments are among the hardest hit by the turmoil in the financial markets and have the least opportunity to recover.Skip to next paragraph Enlarge This Image John Ricksen for The New York TimesRobert Waskover, 79, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., said that gasoline costs and less income from his business have hurt him. Enlarge This Image Dilip Vishwanat for The New York TimesMary O’Connell, 76, of St. Peters, Mo., has no pension and counts on income from four stocks. Readers' CommentsReaders shared their thoughts on this article.Read All Comments (357) »if (acm.rc) acm.rc.write();As companies have switched from fixed pensions to 401(k) accounts, retirees risk losing big chunks of their wealth and income in a single day’s trading, as many have in the last month. “There’s a terrified older population out there,” said Alicia H. Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. “If you’re 45 and the market goes down, it bothers you, but it comes back. But if you’re retired or about to retire, you might have to sell your assets before they have a chance to recover. And people don’t have the luxury of being in bonds because they don’t yield enough for how long we live.”Today’s retirees have less money in savings, longer life expectancies and greater exposure to market risk than any retirees since World War II. Even before the last week of turmoil, 39 percent of retirees said they expected to outlive their savings, up from 29 percent in 2007, according to a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, an industry-sponsored group in Washington.“This really highlights the new world of retirement,” said Richard Johnson, a principal research associate at the Urban Institute in Washington. “It’s a much riskier world for retirees, because people don’t have defined-benefit plans. They have pots of money and they have to worry about making it last.” Carol J. Emerson, 65, sees herself as particularly vulnerable. Her annual income of $50,000 comes almost entirely from dividends, and she says she is worried that as her stocks decline, some of those dividends will fall, too. “If I were guaranteed that the dividend would remain unchanged, I could ignore that the underlying value of my stocks has eroded,” she said. “But that is not the way it works. If the value of the stocks doesn’t go up again, there are not a lot of companies that can keep on paying a 16 percent dividend.” Nevertheless, Ms. Emerson decided to push ahead last week with the rebuilding of her sun porch in Ventura, Calif., not wanting to endure any longer the discomfort of life in a mobile home with a leaky and rusting porch.“I don’t obsess about what is happening, but it is always in the back of my mind,” Ms. Emerson said, adding that she would cancel the $30,000 project if she lost faith that stocks would rebound in her lifetime.“I can sustain the ups and downs, as long as the downs are followed by ups,” Ms. Emerson said, “but I cannot sustain a constant slow erosion. I am assuming, despite all the terrible news, that somehow things will get better.”Older people with few assets, including the one-third of retirees who rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income, may not suffer directly from the decline in the stock market, but they feel the pain of higher gas and food prices and reductions in volunteer services like Meals on Wheels, which have been curtailed because of fuel costs. The collapse of the housing market has hit older homeowners. According to the Center for Retirement Research, Americans over age 63 pulled $300 billion out of their home equity through refinancing from 2001 to 2006, lowering their net worth. Surveys by AARP, the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies and the Employee Benefit Research Institute have found that more workers nearing retirement age are putting off their plans to retire, curtailing contributions to their 401(k) accounts and borrowing from the accounts to pay for living expenses, including credit card and mortgage debt. After three decades of decline, a higher percentage of Americans older than 55 are now working than at any time since 1970, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. Some are working because they want to, but many because they need to. The McKinsey Global Institute reported in June that the typical worker would have to work to age 70 to maintain his or her standard of living in retirement. Mary O’Connell, 76, and her husband, S. F., 78, of St. Peters, Mo., retired without pensions and with meager benefits from Social Security, counting on income from four stocks. But the bulk of the stock was in Bank of America, whose stock has dropped by nearly a third since the start of the year, including 10 percent last week. “It’s been horrible,” Ms. O’Connell said. “I can’t cash anything because the value has deteriorated so much that I would lose money. And even if I did I’d face capital gains tax that would wipe out what little bit I’d get.” At the same time, she said, her “safe” investments — her certificates of deposit — have rolled over to lower interest rates, reducing a reliable stream of income.

Ms. O’Connell said she did not follow her stocks too closely because it would only make her depressed. “We figure we worked all our lives,” she said. “This is something we wanted to enjoy. Now that’s taken away from us.”Skip to next paragraph Enlarge This Image Jodi Hilton for The New York TimesAlicia H. Munnell is director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Readers' CommentsReaders shared their thoughts on this article.Read All Comments (357) »if (acm.rc) acm.rc.write();For many older people, last week’s turmoil on Wall Street was just the latest in a series of shocks that have eroded their stability. When Robert Waskover, 79, was asked how the economy was affecting him, the first thing he mentioned was gas prices. Mr. Waskover, who sells insurance part time in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., said he and his wife, Barbara, 75, were being squeezed from all sides: rising expenses for gas, food and health care; lower income from his business; and the collapse in value of their home and stock portfolio. Mr. Waskover described a one-two punch from the economy. First, his expenses started to exceed his income, so he began occasionally selling some of his stock. Then the stock prices fell, so any sale meant taking a loss. “Now I’m looking to see if I can take a bridge loan on the house so I can draw on that,” he said. “We’ve been watching every penny. And everything keeps going up and up.” Corlette McShea, 61, of Libertyville, Ill., is one of those worried about how she will live in retirement. Ms. McShea, who works nearly full time for a market research company, has scrimped to build a nest egg — buying her house for cash after a divorce settlement, building a 401(k) account and buying a seven-year, $30,000 annuity from the American International Group. Then she discovered the annuity was not protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. As A.I.G. teetered this month, Ms. McShea tried to call the number given to her for A.I.G. “Their office is in Texas, so after the hurricane, the office is not even open so I couldn’t talk to anybody,” she said. She was willing to pay a penalty for early withdrawal, she said, but at 61, “how do you recoup any of this?” At the same time, other parts of the economy are closing in around her. Though her home is paid off, her property taxes have risen to nearly $14,000 a year, up from $5,000 when she bought the house 10 years ago. She was counting on the annuity to pay the taxes. “What a terrible situation that you have a house that is paid for and you can’t even afford to stay in it because the real estate taxes keep going up,” she said. “In my neighborhood, there’s houses up and down the street that are for sale and not even an offer. I’m stuck. I’m stuck with the house; I don’t know what my investments are doing; and here’s this annuity with A.I.G. that is in jeopardy. Every way I look, I’m feeling kind of scared and panicked.”Younger people, of course, have been feeling the market’s pain as well. But for some — including those who have felt priced out of the housing market — the dips mean a chance to get in. For older people, there is no upside to the distress. “They’ve got to adjust their expectations of retirement,” said Martin Baily, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “The market will recover, but you won’t.”

Francorp - Franchise Sales Strategies

Franchise Sales Strategies:
Christopher James Conner
Vice President
Francorp Consulting

As the Franchise World continues to move towards technology like all other industries, more and more sales processes become automated, it becomes easier and easier to forget and lose the most critical ingredient of what has made salespeople successful for centuries, "Building Relationships."

People still buy from people they like and that they can relate to. Technology can't create this, it can only enhance what we as salespeople do during the process. To most potential customers, all the "fluff" becomes white noise and people don't read or listen to mass emails and bombardment of marketing materials.

It is up to the franchise sales professional to create a feeling of caring for the potential franchisees future. The sales process should evoke a sense of "mutual exploration" for both the candidate and the sales person.

Initial contact for a franchise sales person needs to be through the phone. I have never awarded a franchise solely through email contact. This is an enormous decision for most franchise buyers, a cold email and information requests don't convey very much sincerity to a prospective franchisee. Most franchise buyers are refinancing homes or closing out 401k's to make this possible, they must feel very confident in the franchise sales person to pull the trigger on a decision as big as this.

It is important for the franchise sales person to combine emails with phone calls, the prospect should know your voice as well as personal background about the franchise sales person....after all, isn't that what "building a relationship" is all about!?! The franchise sales person should think of themselves as a consultant, work with the franchisee by taking a personal interest in their success.

The initial phone call should be to set an appointment, don't jump into the sale! A franchise sale sis very different from most sales where you are providing a traditional good or service. This is a partnership we are selling now. The first call should be an explanation as to what the next call will cover.

The first phone appointment is about the customer! Remember you should be doing no more than 25% of the talking! If you find that you are doing most of the talking during the call....it probably isn't going very well. Key points to cover during this appointment, timing, why should they be looking at franchising now? Background, what is your level of interest in franchising and why? Goals, what would you like to achieve through franchising? Where, what locations would you like to consider opening the franchise? When it comes down to it, people really don't care about how smart you are until you show concern for their well being and interests.

Here is an acronym we use at Francorp when describing franchise sales. The franchise sales person should strive to be a "Star".

S - Support - Family, Friends and Peers
T - Timing - Now is the right time for Franchising
A - Assets - Building wealth through owning your own business.
R - Recreation - It's fun and exciting!

Building a relationship with a potential franchisee unlocks unbiased information from a franchise candidate, this allows the franchise sales person to make legitimate recommendations. Typically the most guarded area of information will be in regards to financial well being - franchise buyers will not be up front about financial facts until they fell comfortable with a franchise sales person. It is impossible for you as the sales person to provide valuable assistance for them without accurate information! Build the relationship first, then the information will be unbiased and your recommendations will be authentic.

Franchise buyers, much like any other buyer want to feel that they are getting involved with people who are like them. A big part of the franchise sale is drawing connections with the buyer and making examples of existing franchisees who are similar to the prospective buyer. Throughout the sales process, it is important for franchise sales people to remember that the franchise opportunity they are selling is just that....an opportunity. People who are awarded the right to operate as a franchisee will unlock their financial future, this should be about helping people!

www.francorp.com

www.francorpconnect.com

How To Succeed As A Franchisee

How to Succeed As a Franchisee

Pick a franchisee that matches your interests and abilities.Make sure you have enough money to operate without profits for the first few years.Research the opportunity carefully before committing.Related How-TosHow to Finance a Franchise PurchaseHow to Select a FranchiseFeedbackSend Feedback on this How-To Guide » While franchising’s prevalence in the U.S. economy indicates that franchisees can succeed, hundreds of franchisees fail each year. The most frequent causes: lack of funds, poor people skills, reluctance to follow the formula, a mismatch between franchisee and the business, and poor management. Often, it’s the small stuff that separates winners from losers.

A critical initial decision is picking a product you care about. Consider hiring a consultant to analyze whether you are a good fit with the business opportunity you are thinking about buying into. You also have to couple passion with discipline, avoiding too-fast growth at the expense of high-quality expansion.

Among the most common mistakes new franchisees make is signing on before adequately researching the business. Study what it will take to run the business successfully. And be realistic. Owning a franchise is rarely a get-rich-quick scheme.

Contact current and former franchisees to get their feedback, using names from the franchise circular from the franchisers. Never make a commitment based solely on information provided on the Internet or over the phone.

Sometimes, franchisers are to blame. Franchisers may be inexperienced themselves, a situation often found in very small systems. Or they may expand too aggressively, rendering them unable to service franchisees. Brokers or consultants selling concepts may be more interested in a sales commission than in making a good match between business and franchisee.

Another pivotal decision early-on is location. Think twice before locating a franchise using only your intuition. A location on the outskirts of town might be more affordable but may be too remote for customers to reach conveniently. Other factors may be at play. For example, one franchisee thought his spot on a college campus was perfect for his fast-food franchise. Students were a built-in source of employees and customers. And they were — when they were around. But they disappeared for football games and vacations. At the end of each semester, they had little spending money left for take-out or delivery. The location had no parking and so had no other customers. It eventually moved to a freestanding building with a big parking lot. It still delivers to campus, but now also serves families, whose average order is much higher than a typical student’s tab.

To find potentially successful locations, national chains use what’s called geographic-information-systems software that layers census and consumer-trend data upon every street and byway in the country. These tools can cost thousands of dollars. For a few hundred dollars, you can buy demographics reports for any ZIP Code in the country that will analyze population characteristics, income levels, lifestyle trends and even traffic patterns within about a mile of potential sites. You might want to pinpoint, for example, a high-traffic area with at least 40,000 cars a day, 50,000 people living within a two-mile radius, and retail locations nearby. Also consider whether adequate parking is available.

Another key to a franchise’s success is good customer service. That may include making additional investments to improve customer experiences, working overtime to satisfy customer time demands, and putting out extra effort to ensure products and services are done right.

While franchise systems offer pre-set business formats, flexibility and versatility help a lot. That’s especially true when it comes to marketing and promotion. To bring customers in the door, successful franchisees report using tactics such as discount coupons, free samples, direct-mail ads and fax blasts. No marketing job is too small or difficult for a franchisee determined to succeed. Many have success with community-based marketing initiatives, such as those involving schools.

For every franchisee chasing success, there are many competitors engaged in the same pursuit. Studying the competition by visiting their locations and looking for help-wanted signs signaling expansion plans, for instance, helps long-lived franchisees know when to initiate marketing plans to counter rivals’ efforts.

Franchisees can’t succeed without good employees. Winning franchisees treat employees well, so they will treat customers well. Some franchise businesses, such as fast food, have high employee-turnover rates. Providing corporate-style benefits such as medical, dental and retirement benefits can go along way to helping workers feel as though a franchise job is a career. Making sure employees are properly trained and executing according to the rules is vital.

That goes double for your managers. Franchisers say the No. 1 reason for a franchisee’s failure is that they don’t hire the right managers. Franchisees who lack management skills themselves might want to choose a business that could be run by just one or two people. Or, consider hiring someone skilled at motivating others.

Don’t forget: You have to follow the rules, too. Franchises aren’t designed for the independent-minded. They depend on a by-the-book execution of a business plan, adherence to time-tested systems, and a willingness to follow directions.

Insufficient funding is a prescription for failure in any business. With a franchise, the initial fee is clearly stated, but newcomers often underestimate operating costs. A slow beginning or unanticipated event can quickly drain and doom an undercapitalized franchise.

Unrealistic optimism also can be a recipe for financial distress. Borrowing to expand just before a downturn, for example, can lead to rapid bankruptcy. Franchisees need a financial cushion to weather unexpected situations. Experts advise new franchisees to have a nest egg for emergencies and assume they will lose money the first two years.

Franchisees who leave the management of their units to managers and who may or may not be on the premises every day are also less likely to succeed than owners who take a hands-on approach. They may not know if the help is showing up, what customers are complaining about, or whether employees are dipping into the till. Theft can be contagious and contaminate an entire organization if not stopped immediately.

Taking on Restaurants and Grocers

Entrepreneurs

Taking On Restaurants And Grocers

Melanie Lindner, 05.08.08, 6:00 PM ET


The meal-assembly industry was born in early 2002 when Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna opened their first Dream Dinners store in Snohomish, Wash. The concept: Customers prepare their own food in bulk using the restaurant's kitchen, ingredients and recipes--all for less money than buying and cooking food from the grocery store. And, of course, no dirty pots and pans.
Dream Dinners, now with 208 locations in 37 states throughout the U.S. (and another 29 under construction), is the largest of these chains. But with food prices soaring, angry franchisees snapping and its financials sagging, the company--and much of the meal-assembly industry--is feeling like it's on the chopping block.
On the surface, the value proposition sounds compelling: At Dream Dinners, busy parents who want their kids to eat right can crank out 12 meals, up to 72 servings, in less than two hours for just $250. The company insists (based on its own research) that preparing those same meals at home would require 18 to 20 hours of shopping and cooking and cost between $525 and $585.
In Pictures: A Look At The Meal-Assembly Players
In Pictures: Seven Tips For Fledgling Franchisees
In Pictures: Six Franchise-Contract Time Bombs
Smelling success early, Allen and Kuna began to franchise. And it caught on: Since Dream Dinners' conception, 13 similar chains with more than 20 stores each have sprouted up, plus at least 12 chains with fewer than 20 locations. Today there are 1,293 of these stores in 49 states (West Virginia lacks such a location), according to Andy Potter of the Meal Assembly Network, which tracks the industry.
But that bigger footprint hasn't translated into sizable riches. Even before food prices really started to spike (see: "What Grocers Teach Us About The U.S. Economy"), Dream Dinners was taking it on the chin, according to audited financial statements in the company's latest Franchise Disclosure Document, filed with the State of Washington Department of Financial Records.
As of Dec. 31, the company boasted $2.9 million in assets, against which it carried $3.4 million in liabilities. (Such negative book value implies that if Dream Dinners were unwound today, shareholders wouldn't get much.) That's a snapshot, but here's a trend: Last year, the company lost $628,000 on $7.5 million in sales; compare that to 2005, when it earned $928,000 on sales of $4.5 million.
"Quick growth does not equal profitability," says Richard Rosen, a Manhattan-based franchise lawyer who closely follows the meal-assembly industry but does not represent any specific franchise. "This is a fad industry that grew way too fast."
Typically, new business concepts need up to five years to season before they can be franchised successfully. Dream Dinners--along with its next largest competitor Super Suppers, now with 165 stores--both began franchising in less than two years.
Now more meal-assembly locations are closing than opening, says Potter. Since January, large chains (with more than 100 stores) have shuttered 11% of their stores; mid-sized chains (10 to 99 stores), 8%; and small chains (two to nine stores), a whopping 17%.
Franchisees are starting to bristle. In late April, 15 of them filed a lawsuit against Dream Dinners, claiming a host of transgressions, including violation of franchise laws, negligent fraud and breach of contract. "We were sold a proven concept," says Jennifer Garcia of Oxford, Conn., a plaintiff who closed her two Dream Dinners franchises in December. "This is an untested, unproven and flawed business model."
Michael Garner, a Minneapolis-based attorney representing the franchisees, says many others are dissatisfied and that he expects they too will soon come forward. In a joint e-mail response to Forbes.com, Allen and Kuna write: "The plaintiffs are a fraction of the more than 200 Dream Dinners franchisees, the vast majority of which refused to be involved in the lawsuit. Instead of working their businesses during these challenging economic times for the industry, [the] plaintiffs apparently chose to sue us."
A major point of contention has to do with rosy promises Dream Dinners seemed to have made to its franchisees. Under the Federal Trade Commission's franchise law, franchisers are not permitted to make "predictions" about franchisees' financial success--unless they do it in the Uniform Franchise Offering Document, which typically contains a host of disclaimers.
Dream Dinners "totally disregarded these regulations," says Garner. It not only posted financial projections on its company Web site, he says, it also put them in a Power Point presentation given to potential franchisees.
Jennifer Hemann, a former Dream Dinners franchisee in Maryland and one of the plaintiffs in the suit, alleges that she was shown that Power Point presentation--which included estimated profit margins for a given volume of customers--when interviewing with the founders. "They told us, 'Our lawyers said not to show this to you, but if you write fast, you can get it all down,'" she says.
After sinking hundreds of thousands of dollars into her stores, Hemann claims she never turned a profit: "In my two stores, I lost a combined $800,000 in my initial investments and operating costs." Garcia says she got the same routine from Allen and Kuna: "They offered financial information, but said their lawyers told them not to--then gave a wink-wink and a smile."
Allen and Kuna write that they are "unaware" that earnings projections were ever on their Web site. Of the Power Point presentation, they write that "projections were displayed that our lawyers previewed and approved."
The slides, provided by Garner, present some tantalizing figures: Allen and Kuna projected that, at 187 customers per month, a franchisee could expect to earn $75,400 in profit annually, or 18.9% of total revenue. On the high end, at a quoted 328 customers per month, net profits jumped to $163,300, or 23.3% of sales. The estimated distance customers would be expected to drive: two to five miles. Allen and Kuna insist that "the figures were realistic and based on the actual performance of stores."
If the U.S. economy doesn't perk up soon, things may get even worse for meal-assembly outfits. "It's a lot easier for some families to spend $30 to $50 on one meal at a casual dining restaurant like Applebee's than to drop $250 at one time at a meal assembly store," says Potter.
Bottom line, says Rosen: "The jury is still out on the meal assembly industry. But if someone approached me with one of these franchise contracts, I would advise them to take caution."

Francorp Conducts Franchise Workshop at the California Restaurant Show

Francorp presented at the Western Food Service Show this past weekend on August 24th. Francorp works closely with most of the countries restaurant associations to educated its members on franchising and help business owners evaluate whether franchising is a viable expansion strategy. Christopher J. Conner presented in Los Angeles this past weekend to a group of over 100 restaurant show attendees. Here is an overview of the association.

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California Restaurant Association
For almost 100 years, the California Restaurant Association has been the largest nonprofit state restaurant association in the nation. CRA is committed to serving the unique needs of its member restaurants who have raised billions of dollars in tax revenue for the state. Restaurant sales have had an economic impact of more than $90 billion to the California economy, making the foodservice trade one of the most powerful industries in the state.
Join the CRA during the Show and receive $100 off the annual membership dues!
If you aren’t a member, do your business a favor and sign up today!
Membership in the California Restaurant Association provides the following valuable benefits:
Save Money on essential products and services relevant to your business. Members receive discounts on necessities such as health, dental and life insurance; payroll processing, property, casualty and liability insurance and labor law services
Save 20% on all educational products at the CRAEF online store. Members save even more!
Stay Informed! As a CRA member you will be kept informed on vital industry issues through informative newsletters and publications. The CRA Educational Foundation also provides resources for you to achieve and to maintain state-mandated certifications, and helps you to develop professional employees for your business
Be Influential! CRA’s professional government affairs team works on your behalf to deliver effective foodservice industry representation on a local, state and national level
Promotion Possibilities! Membership offers you numerous marketing and networking opportunities to publicize your business to countless customers
Be a Partner! As a CRA member, you automatically receive membership in your local CRA chapter and the National Restaurant Association.

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Francorp Client - Pockets

News - Healthy Food Franchises
Saladworks, the nation’s leading healthy alternative to fast food and the originator of the fresh tossed to order salad concept, has appointed Paul Steck to Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. Steck, a 22-year veteran in the franchise business, has been a part of Saladworks management team since being hired as Director of Franchise Operations in 2002. In his new position, he will oversee all operations, including training, service, facilities, distribution, personnel, sales and marketing. Steck will also play an integral part in the further development the Saladworks brand.
“Paul is an incredibly accomplished professional who has brought keen insights into franchise operations to Saladworks,” says John Scardapane founder of Saladworks. “I am confident that our combined efforts will only enhance our already successful concept.” With more than 20 years of experience in the franchise business, Steck understands the day-to-day challenges that franchisees face on front lines of their franchises. Rising quickly through the company’s ranks, Steck has served Saladworks as Vice President of Operations, Director of Operations and Director of Franchise Operations in a little more than three years. Fresh out of college, Steck started in the franchise business at just 21-years-old, when he cobbled together enough money to purchase an existing Burger King franchise in Cincinnati. At the time he was the youngest Burger King franchisee. Six years later, he built his second Burger King from the ground up. After three years of running two locations, he decided to sell them, and set his sights on Au Bon Pain. As District Manager, he opened six franchises in just 13 months. Based on his success, Au Bon Pain relocated him to the Midwest and put him in charge of multiple locations throughout Illinois and Wisconsin.
He was later transferred to Philadelphia to manage 12 Au Bon Pain locations that the company had bought back from a franchisee. Steck immediately fell in love with the city and worked with Au Bon Pain to open several more stores throughout the greater Philadelphia area. After meeting repeatedly with Saladworks’ senior management, Steck was offered and quickly accepted a position with the company.
“Saladworks is concept that clicks perfectly with the times we live in,” Steck says. “People today are more health and image conscious than they ever were before, and are forgoing fatty fast foods in their pursuit of eating right and living healthier lifestyles.”
Steck, who was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a devoted father of three and currently resides in Havertown, Pennsylvania. In his spare time he enjoys skiing, hunting and cooking at home. Since its inception, Saladworks has emerged as a leader in the quick-casual food arena, by offering a tasty, yet healthy alternative to the pre-fab, vacuum packed and flavor deprived food found at most fast food chains. By giving customers the freshest and finest ingredients, which are expertly prepared in front of them by an always-accommodating staff, Saladworks has developed a proven successful concept. The company, which has grown at an average rate of 40 percent per year for the past three years, has experienced its largest expansion to date by opening more than 18 new locations in 2005. Saladworks, a 20-year-old pioneer concept in the rapidly growing salad category, is taking a ‘fresh’ approach to franchising that will put more than 250 locations on the map by 2010.

Health Care

Health care: The forgotten culprit
By Jonathan Maze



As published in: Franchise Times - August 2008
Most discussions of the current economic malaise focus on a handful of usual suspects, such as the slumping housing market, the credit crunch, high oil prices and rising food costs. But one factor doesn't get nearly as much blame for the problems as it probably should: health care costs.
The price for health insurance premiums has nearly doubled since 2000. While that has led to understandable concern about affordability and the uninsured, it has also had a negative impact on every sector of the economy except health care. Small businesses, which would include most franchisees, are affected the most.
Employers now spend $8,800 to cover a worker and his or her family. A single employee costs nearly $3,800. Eight years ago those costs were $4,700 and $2,100, respectively, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health policy think tank.
Or think of it this way: an employer covering 100 workers, half of whom get family coverage, spends $291,500 more on health insurance today than in 2000.
That kind of cost increase has to come from somewhere. Employers may raise prices or cut costs. Both solutions have their ripple effects, either through inflation, reduced employment or lower wages.
Because most employers have had to face these rising costs, the overall impact on their various solutions has been phenomenal. The increases have acted like an anchor on the economy, contributing to the dual recessions of the past decade and likely keeping it from growing as much as it could have between them.
While the decade-long run-up in health costs appears to be abating, the increases continue to far outpace inflation. And there is no guarantee the slowdown will continue. So any discussion of fixing the economy long-term should include health-care reform.
We don't pretend to know the answer to that question, but we know it isn't "nothing," which has been Congress's typical response.

Starbucks - Clover

Saving Starbucks, One Cup at a Time
By Alyce Lomax
August 28, 2008
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At long last, Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) is rolling out single-cup brews using the Clover, the highly talked-about brewing system it acquired when it bought The Coffee Equipment Company earlier this year. Oh, and the top execs aren't getting raises next year. Maybe things are finally looking up.
Starbucks is putting the Clover in 10 Seattle stores, and it plans to roll out the high-end brewer in Boston and in more Seattle shops in the coming months. Bring it on, Starbucks. Being able to offer brewed coffee that customers can choose cup by cup -- and utilize variable pricing -- definitely differentiates the company from quick-serve coffee slingers such as McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) and Dunkin' Donuts.
Although my recent test-drive of the Clover didn't leave me convinced that all of the fuss is warranted, I agree that Starbucks will be able to bolster margins by serving higher-end coffee at different price points quickly and easily with this state-of-the-art machine, which has many fans.
In other big headline news today, word has leaked out that Starbucks' top brass, from the vice president level all the way up to CEO Howard Schultz, won't get pay increases next year. Any proponent of the pay-for-performance concept will find this a logical move -- and a cost-saving one, too.
Schultz is a hero to many shareholders, and I'm glad he's back, but his pay package last year -- $10.6 million, including $1.2 million in base salary -- clashed with Starbucks' good-guy image. (So did a recent lucrative separation agreement with a former executive.) That's especially true when business for Starbucks was, and continues to be, disappointing.
I'm not shedding a tear over thinner pay for Starbucks' executives. In June, I complained about how CEOs at some media companies, such as News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) and Lee Enterprises (NYSE: LEE), were getting lucrative pay despite crumbling stock prices. It's only fair to apply the same logic to the stocks I own and admire.
I wish the Clover had rolled out sooner, but I'm glad to see it's starting to hit the stores. Meanwhile, the tough stance on executive pay sounds reasonable, too. Meanwhile, Schultz and Co. are clearly actively working on turning around this business. I still believe that in several years, people will recall Starbucks' shares at current levels with longing.

Francorp Client - Nathan's Famous

Nathan's Famous annual net income up 18%
9th June 2008
By Staff Writer
Nathan's Famous, which operates and franchises fast food units, has reported a net income of $6.55 million, or $1.01 per share for the fiscal year ended March 30, 2008, an 18.3% increase compared to $5.54 million, or $0.87 per share for the fiscal 2007.

Income from continuing operations was $4.85 million, or $0.75 per share for the fiscal year ended March 30, 2008, an 11.7% increase compared to $4.34 million, or $0.68 per share for the fiscal 2007.
Total revenue from continuing operations increased by 10.3% to $47.39 million for the fiscal year ended March 30, 2008, compared to $42.97 million in fiscal 2007.
For the fourth quarter ended March 30, 2008, income from continuing operations was $774,000 or $0.12 per share as compared to $824,000 or $0.13 per share for the same period of 2007. The company reported total revenue from continuing operations of $10.27 million, a 14.6% increase compared to $8.96 million for the same period of 2007.
Net income for the fourth quarter ended March 30, 2008 was $752,000 or $0.12 per share, as compared to $1.24 million or $0.19 per share for the same period of 2007.

International Coffee and Tea

Summary
Don't be chai; stand your grounds and espresso yourself over a cup at The Coffee Bean. International Coffee & Tea operates and franchises more than 520 coffee shops operating under the name The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The outlets, found mostly in California and in about a dozen foreign countries, feature a variety of fresh roasted coffees and specialty teas, along with baked goods and blended ice drinks. More than 270 locations are company owned, while the rest are franchised. The chain was started by Mona and Herbert Hyman in 1963. Chairman Sunny Sassoon, his brother Victor, and investor Severin Wunderman bought the company in 1998. More from Hoovers »
1945 S. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90034 USA +1-310-237-2326 (Phone)310-815-3676 (Fax)
Company website:http://www.coffeebean.com

Denny's

Denny's announces new organizational structure
13th June 2008
By Staff Writer
Denny's, a family-style restaurant chain, has redesigned its organizational structure to support its ongoing transition to a franchise-focused business model.
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According to the company, it has completed an extensive review of its organizational structure. In April, the firm realigned its senior leadership with three executive officers reporting to the CEO. The company has restructured the organization under this leadership to effectively execute its new strategic direction with primary emphasis on sales, brand and franchise.
Additionally, the company has created four regional vice presidents of operations (RVP) positions that will have accountability for the performance of both company and franchise restaurants within a geographic region. The RVP's and their support teams will manage an integrated effort to drive guest counts, sales and profitability while ensuring operational excellence.
The new organizational structure increases brand and franchisee support, but also allows for consolidation of certain departments and job functions resulting in the near-term elimination of approximately 50 positions, the company said.
As a result of these staff reductions, the company expects to incur a restructuring charge attributable to severance and other expense of approximately $5 million in the second quarter of 2008, which will be paid out over the next 12 months.
Nelson Marchioli, president and CEO of Denny's, said: "Through the success of Denny's franchise growth initiative, the mix of franchised restaurants in the Denny's system is now up to 76%. In our quest to become a franchisor-of-choice in the restaurant industry, we must continue to evolve our corporate structure and mission to focus on driving sales, expanding the brand and providing valuable support to our franchisees."

Coca-Cola FEMSA completes Brazil Franchise Buy

Coca-Cola FEMSA completes Brazil franchise buy
Coca-Cola FEMSA completes $364.1 million acquisition of Coca-Cola Brazil franchise Remil
June 27, 2008: 06:54 AM EST

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Coca-Cola FEMSA SAB de CV, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America, said late Thursday it completed the purchase of Coca-Cola Co.'s Refrigerantes Minas Gerais Ltda. franchise territory for $364.1 million.
Coca-Cola FEMSA said the deal will expand its footprint in Brazil by more than a third.
Founded in 1948 in Belo Horizonte, Remil sold 114 million unit cases of sparkling beverages, water, still beverages and beer in 2007. The franchise serves the cities of Belo Horizonte, Contagem, Curvelo, Divinopolis, Governador Valadares, Ipatinga, Juiz de Fora, Lavras, Leopoldina, Mariana, Montes Claros, Janauba and Petropolis.
Coca-Cola FEMSA's operations in Brazil, including both of its franchise territories, will now represent about 30 percent of the Coca-Cola bottling system in Brazil.
Mexico's Coca-Cola FEMSA produces and distributes Coke, Sprite, Fanta and other Coca-Cola drinks in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina. The company has 30 bottling facilities in Latin America and serves over 1.5 million retailers.
Coca-Cola Co. owns a 31.6 percent stake in the company.
www.cocacola.com

Francorp Blog

The Francorp Blog is a great place for Francorp clients and alliance partners to interact and discuss key franchising issues. This forum is used as a place for Francorp to discuss recent franchise news, franchise company information and client updates. Please visite the site at www.francorp1.com.

Francorp International

Francorp Phillipines is a very successful and well established office of Francorp International. The Francorp office in Manilla has developed and played an integral part in literally every major franchise organization in the Phillipines. Here is an overview of some of their successful clients.

Jollibee

"The country’s No. 1 fastfood chain and one of the most admired companies and brands in Asia "

"One man’s gain is another man’s gain. This is what franchising can do for you. It is a business concept which can create a win-win-win situation for the franchisor, the franchisee and the customer. Francorp, the world’s most sought after franchise consultant today, has explained why franchising is a very attractive means of expanding one’s business. They mentored us to do the right franchising from the very start and all the way to the maximum growth of our enterprise.”

Tony Tan Caktiong
Chief Executive Officer
Jollibee Foods Corporation




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Bench

“The vision of BENCH is to be recognized as an international brand that will instill a sense of pride and inspiration to the Filipino people. When BENCH decided to pursue its international franchise operations, FRANCORP made sure that our franchise agreement was at par with world standards.”

Ben Chan
President
BENCH




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Reyes Haircutters

Ang salon ng bayan and the no. 1 family salon chain in the country today!

Franchising enabled my company to be ahead of the competition in myriad ways, achieving a phenomenally strong market positioning, within the shortest possible time. However, I learned for myself that franchising is not an easy game. Through Francorp’s guidance, I discovered that a carefully planned expansion strategy, professionally developed operations manual and franchise agreement, and a cost-effective franchise sales and marketing program, are necessary components for a stronger franchise system. Francorp helped me in every stage of my growth - giving me all the support and opportunities needed to break into the franchise market. The encouragement and confidence they provided were driving forces in our company’s growth.

Mr. Les Reyes
President & CEO
Reyes Hair Company Int’l





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Crystal Clear

"At a time when the economic situation is forcing companies to cut back on expansion plans, the Crystal Clear Water Stores franchised stores per month. Today, we have a total of 285 stores with international franchise outlets in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and soon in other Asian countries. Francorp has provided support to this growth through strategic development planning and franchise training. In fact, Solerex recently launched “Juice Ko!”, its own brand of health juice drinks; the orange, apple, grape, and strawberry flavors are fast becoming a hit among canteen concessionaires, sari-sari stores, and the parent/child consumer bracket."

Jose Antonio Soler
President
Solorex Water Technology




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Islands Souvenirs

"Over the past years, Islands Souvenirs has received several franchise inquiries from around the globe. Acknowledging the potential of our brand internationally, we felt that Francorp was the only international franchising consultant that was capable of structuring a franchise program that would protect our brand and our business interests overseas. Today, we have stores in Okinawa, Japan, Singapore and San Francisco."

Jay Aldeguer
President & CEO
Islands Souvenirs Inc.




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Potato Corner

"I am very happy with our partnership with Francorp. Our partnership gave birth to the start of our venture into the global arena. Francorp has and is helping us with our expansion in Asia, Middle East and in the Americas. Aside from the international credibility that Francorp has given us in the local arena, we are now in the same league as the "big" players and it is this distinction that we are very proud of."

Jose P. Magsaysay, Jr.
Chairman
Potato Corner




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Bayo

"FRANCORP has paved the way for Lyncor, Inc./BAYO to share the business with willing persons who wish to run a business for themselves but not entirely by themselves. It has also provided BAYO Franchising Corp. with customized guidelines and tools in making our franchise entity work and run efficiently.Their continuous support and ready assistance is also beneficial to us. And we cannot discount the fact that with Francorp’s reputation of being the best in the industry, we easily gained our franchisee’s trust. To date, we have 4 franchise owned stores and we are still getting more inquiries from prospective franchisees for provincial and international branches."

FERDINAND V. AGUSTIN
President
BAYO Franchising Corporation




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Penshoppe

Francorp has been very instrumental in the creation of the Penshoppe Franchise Program. With their help and expertise, our franchise program covers all the areas necessary for a successful franchise. This has paved the way for the opening of our first international franchise in Xiamen, China. With Francorp’s assistance and consultation, our franchise program has attracted franchise inquiries from the Middle East, United States and Europe to name a few, proof that when a franchise program is developed in coordination with Francorp, the program is bound to be compelling and successful.

Bernie Liu
Chairman/CEO
Golden ABC (Penshoppe)




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Plains And Prints

“Francorp helped us in all aspects of franchising – from developing our franchise program to finding qualified franchisees. In just a few months after Francorp developed our program, we were able to open three franchise outlets. With Francorp helping us in our franchise efforts, we became more confident in offering our business because we knew that our franchise program was developed by trained professionals who have years of experience in franchising. With Francorp, you get the feeling that they really care about you and want to see you succeed in your franchising efforts. It’s as if they had a personal stake in your business.”

Erickson and Roxanne Farillas
Owners, Plains & Prints




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Kamiseta

Francorp helped us organize our Franchising Department. If you are planning to franchise, it would be a good first step to ask the experts.

Mr. Gonzalo A. Roque III
President-Kamiseta




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Hot Shots Flame-Grilled Burgers

Hotshots Flame-grilled Burgers is now 3 years old. In those three years, it has grown into 7 branches strategically located in Metro Manila. This has been possible through the assistance and guidance of Francorp. Francorp first approached us in May of 2000. They offered to do our franchise package and operations manual. We were barely six months in operation then. Several companies had offered to do our franchise package, however, we felt most comfortable with the people that comprised Francorp. They were very professional to talk to. We saw in them a sincere intention to help us chart our future. We believe that our decision to choose Francorp as our franchise consultant has opened for us a network of opportunities. In the three years that we have been working with them, they continue to provide channels in order for our company to grow. They have given us exposure in radio, newspapers and magazines. They have introduced us to the Small Business Guarantee Fund Corporation. SBGFC provides financing to our qualified franchise applicants. Recognizing the value of continuing education, they invite us to various seminars and talks. In short, they have made franchising a simpler task to manage. Our sincerest gratitude for your guidance these past three years, we hope that you will continue to be with us as we enter another stage of our growth---Provincial expansion.

Carlo de Guzman, John & Anjanette Decena
Owners, Hotshots Flame Grilled Burgers




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Biggs Restaurant's Inc.

"Having been in the business for over 15 years, we thought it was ripe and right to expand our successful restaurant concept through the failsafe format of franchising. We thought it proper to travel to the United States, ’the mecca of franchising’, to attend the World Franchising Exposition, and seek a reputable and established franchise consulting firm, and Lo and Behold, FRANCORP fit the bill. We were impressed with the long list of successful concepts that they help catapult into proliferation. Instantly we were convinced that our concept would fall on very adept hands if we commissioned Francorp to architect our franchise program. One year later, we opened our first franchise under their program, and since then, we haven't stopped growing. I don't think there are any other franchise consulting firms in the world that can match FRANCORP's track record in helping successful concepts franchise their systems effectively and confidently."

Carlo B. Buenaflor
Managing Director
Make It Bigg Restaurants Inc.
Franchisor of "Bigg's Restaurants"




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California Nails And Day Spa

"It took years for us to make the decision to franchise California Nails & Day Spa. There were days when we thought, ‘No, it’s not for us.’ and then days that, ‘Yes, let’s do it!’ It even took a while before I could get the courage to see Francorp; I was in doubt that our concept would be accepted. But the foresight and enthusiastic assurance of Francorp, made this big step sound like a winner. So we bit the bullet and signed up with Francorp in May 2002. We never looked back. Francorp is an excellent team of consultants. There is genuine concern, love and support that started from the receptionist, to the team of consultants who cheered us on in every step, up to the level of their management leadership. This helps a lot when you are taking a risk with a new venture."

"Putting up a franchising company is another ball of wax. With Francorp it was an easy transition, they actually take you by the hand and teach you step by step how to make your business succeed. There’s a comfort in knowing that when you have a concern, someone just a ‘text message’ away has the answer. The guidance at the Franchise Expo 2002 we received, the setting up of operations manuals, going over the legalities of the Franchise Agreement, Sales Seminars, the meetings and more meetings were all done professionally. We had to do our homework but we didn’t mind. There’s lots of motivation we get from our up-beat consultants. The day came where we would sign up our first franchisee! My staff and I were so ecstatic and Francorp was there to share it with us."

"Thanks to our marketing strategies by Francorp, we have a pile of inquires seeking out our franchise. We are so busy we don’t have time to check on them! Lastly, we can say is that we prayed for the right franchise consultant to come our way and the Lord led us to Francorp, because they are there for you all the time, all the way!"

Leslie Matta
President, CANS




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Sari-Sari Bread Store

It was in the 2nd quarter of 2002, that we approached FRANCORP to study SARI-SARI BREADSTORE with about 70 outlets in the Visayas if it can be franchised. We lacked the confidence but they were there to give us the necessary boost and professional advise to set up our franchise system and operations manual. In November 28, 2002, the first franchise store of SARI-SARI BREADSTORE in Luzon was opened in Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. In just a little over 6 months, we have 6 operating franchise stores located in Cubao, Novaliches, San Mateo, Rizal, C.M. Recto in Manila, Bacoor, Cavite and Sta. Cruz, Laguna. One will soon open in Malinta, Rizal, another 2 in Caloocan City and Blumentritt, Manila are under construction, and now more whose applications are still being processed. Thanks to FRANCORP!

Jerome J. Genson
President-CEO
Sari-Sari Breadstore Ventures Int’l Corp.




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Unica Hija

In the garment retail industry, growth for us means broadening our reach, improving more the quality of our service to fulfill the desires of our valued customers while increasing the awareness of the brand, UNICA HIJA. When we first felt that there was a need for the company to expand, the question of capacity and readiness came into mind. To address this, we decided to expand thru franchising and the only way to go with it is to get Francorp. Their incomparable list of clientele proves what they have attained. To have their name alone as our consultant gives us enough encouragement that we can reach our aspirations for the company. Right now, we are on our third quarter going onwards to our first year in franchising six deals successfully closed and still targeting more. For this, we recognize their efforts not only for the dedication they have shown in their work but also in the commitment they have given us.

Ronaldo R. Villon
President
R & V Unica Hija

Francorp Clients

Francorp has a long list of successful franchise companies that they have worked with over the past 30 years. Here is an overview of some of the more recognizeable success stories. All of these clients have websites and you can find addtional information on the companies on Francorp's corporate site, www.francorp.com. You will find that the companies on this list are in very diverse groups and have unique business models. Francorp completely customizes it's consulting work and franchise development programs with each of it's clients.

Client List
View Alphabetically

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Fast Food
Applegate Farm
Bagel Street Cafe (Clark Oil)
Beautiful Sweets
Beefy’s
Blue Chip Cookies
Bread Basket
Bubba’s Breakaway Subs
Buscemi's Pizza & Subs
Cassano's Pizza
Church's Chicken
Cilantro Tamales
Cinnarolls
Country Syle Creamery
Cousin's Submarines
Dippin' Dots
Duke Sandwich
Extreme Blendz
Friendly's Ice Cream
Great Bagel & Coffee Company
Hamburger Mary's
Hawaii's Java Kai
Jersey Mike's Subs
Jimmy John's Gourmet SandwichesView video testimonial
Koo Koo Roo
Krystal Company
La Salsa
Le Croissant Shops
Lee's Sandwiches
Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs
Pollo Campero
Popeye's Fried Chicken
Port of Subs
Saladworks
Skolniks Bagel Bakery
South Pole Smoothies
Taco del Sol
Tastee Freez
Tom's Drive-In
Urban Burrito



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Hotel/Motel/Homes
America's Built in Home
Carolina Varela
Coachmen Manufactured Homes
Holiday Inns
New England Log Homes
Omni Hotels
Penny-Pincher Motels & LK Motels
Spectrum Home Services
Starmark Kitchens (MASCO)



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Commercial/Industrial
A Shade Better
Bath Fitter
Bulk Materials, Inc.
CDX Audio
Cic Comercial
Classic Handyman
Dicom S.A.
ExovationsRead testimonial
Filterfresh
Home Improvement Coordinators
Huffman Builders
K & N Electric
Lend Lease Trucks
Line-X
Modernistic Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
Mr. Build
National International Roofing
Ryder Truck Rentals
Seal Master
Security One
Soquimich Comercial
Triad
U.S. Filter



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Restaurants
Ajili-Mojili
Amante Gourmet Pizza
Amazing Kabob House
Aurelio's Pizza
BannaStrow's
Between the Buns
Big Apple Pizza
Bill Johnson’s Big Apple
Black Bear Diner
Blackjack Pasta Bar
Brigham’s
Buddy’s Bar-B-Q
BW-3 Buffalo Wild Wings
Captain Curt's
Chedd's Gourmet Grilled Cheese
Cheeburger Cheeburger
Choo Choo Johnny's
Corky's BBQ
Damon’s International
Ed & Joe's Restaurant & Pizzeria
Elliot's Off Broadway
Falls View Grill/Hal's Famous Chicken N Ribs
Healthy Bites Grill
Johnny Rocket's
Jollibee Foods
Lomito 'n
Love's Barbecue
Manny & Olga's Pizza
Marco's PizzaRead testimonial
Max's
McAlister's Deli
Melvin's Southern Barbecue
Mister Chip's
Mr. Goodburgers
Pasta Lovers Trattoria
Pizza Del Ray
Pizzeria Uno
Pollo Tropical
Pyro's Grill
R.J. Boar's Barbecue
Roasty's Original
Rock n Joe
San Francisco Bread Co.
Schlotzsky's
Sicilian Joe's Pizzeria
St. Hubert B-B-Q
SunShinE Café
Supper Thyme USA
The Ground Pat'i Grill
Toddle House Diners
Waffle House
Western Sizzlin' Steakhouse
Wild Wing Cafe
Yamato Japanese Restaurant



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Services to Business
Air Source Express
Bridgestone/Firestone
Cal Gas
Career Blazers
Children's Choice
City Publications
Computemp
ComRent International, LLC
DynaMaint
EPC USA
Harte Hanks Direct Marketing
OMEX
Pip Printing
Servcorp International
Sign Shop
Signs Now
Southwestern Bell (Silver Pages)
Successories
Sureway Air Traffic
The Premier Pages
TNT Express Delivery
Today's Temporary
Transmedia Network
Xerox



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Automotive
Advanced Innovations
Ampro Fleet Services
Atlantic Richfield (ARCO)
Autobahn S.A.
Automovil Club
Bart's Car Store
BP Amoco
DuPont
Fleetwood Enterprises
Foodini's (Chevron)
Ford Motor Company
J.D. Byrider
Mavis Discount Tire
Mobil Oil Corporation
Mobile Tire Guys
National Auto/Truckstops
Oil X-Change
On the Run (Mobil)
QuickChange
Radiator World
Shell Oil
Split Second (BP Amoco)
Spot-Not Car Wash
Texaco Europe
Texaco Express Lube
Texaco Star Mart
Texaco USA
Truckstops of America
USA Muffler Shops
Valley Forge Auto Parts
Valvoline



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Retail Stores
1-800 Mattress
2001 Video Rent-to-Own
3M Specialty Marketing Systems
A Designer's Eye
Ace Hardware
Am/Pm Mini Markets
BeadniksView video testimonial
Beat the Bookstore
Casa Musa
Circle K
Conroy's Florists
Copymat
Crafter's Marketplace
D&K Stores
Dairy Barn Stores
Dairy Mart
Disc Go Round (CDX Audio)
Easyriders
Fashions Under $10
Field of Dreams
Hallmark Cards
Harris Teeter
Interlink
Marti Sporting Goods
Merle Harmon’s Fan Fair
Michael's Craft Stores
Reading Glasses To Go
Sharper Image
Silk Plants, Etc.
Sports Fantasy
That Kitchen Shop
The Movie Superstore
The Sport Shoe
Tinder Box S. A.
USA Baby
Van Huesen (Gant)
Woodcraft



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Product Sales and Distribution
Advantage Refreshment Systems
Armstrong World Industries
Berlitz
Beverage Management, Inc.
Casket Shells
Cory Coffee Company
Fruehauf Trailer Corporation
Hercules Tires (CarMerica)
ITT
John Deere
Mac Tools
Nestle
Norwalk Furniture
Nutrasweet
O'Brien Budd
Parker Hannifin
Robertshaw Controls
Russell Watergardens
Shell S.A.



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Personal Services
A Grande Finale
Academy of Learning
ACE Tutoring
Alison Andrews Day Spa
Amphora
ATA American Taekwondo Association
Azana Salon and Spa
Baird & Warner
BetterByOwner.com
Blue Bird Cleaning Service
Britannica Learning Centers
Bug Realty
Champion Cleaners
Chile Bags
Classic Car Club
Cleaner Options
ClemCards
Club Achilles
College Craft Painters
Color Works
Condotels
CosmiKidsView video testimonial
Discovery Zone
Doc Stitches
Dog Wash America
Dogs Rule Resort
Dogtopia
Easter Seal Society
Edible Arrangements
Encyclopedia Britanica
Estrategia Center
Executive Sports & Entertainment Connection
Froots
Gacel
Galaxsea Cruises
Goldilocks
Grutman Oriental Carpets
Guardian Child Support
Guiness Imports
Guinness Telli*Phone Corp.
Hair Performers
Hollywood Video
HomePros
Inflatable Wonderlands
Jacki’s Aerobic Dance
Jo To Go Coffee
Keep Flippin' Gymnastics
Kidokinetics
Kids 'N' Clay
Kidzone
L'Amyx Tea Bar
Laser Nation
Lollilocks Kids Salon
lululemon athletica
Mad Science Group
Matt Bags
MetLife
Mocha Delites
Monster Mini Golf
Music Logic
Net-work-games
Nite Lites
Nix Check Cashing
Nu Image MedSpa
Our Town, Inc.
Papyrus
Personal Best Karate
Pestmaster
Pet Butler
Pre-Paid Real Estate Services
Precept Wireless.com
Preuniversitario Cepech
Primrose Schools
Red Carpet Real Estate
Ride The Ducks
SolutionOne Cleaning
Storbox
The Fragrance Shop
The Maids
Tripple Crown Pet Training
Tutoring Club



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Professional Services
Academic Advantage
Academy Fire Protection
Acctcorp
Ahead Human Resources
American Express
American Prosperity Group (APG)
American Recruiters
Automatic Car Credit
Capital Partners
Coast-to-Coast Tax Service
D.E.I.
Empowered Performance
Fidelity Investments
Fireman’s Fund Mortgage Corporation
General Electric Services
Hyatt Legal Services
IBM
Manufacturing Management Associates
Northern Telecom
OrthoExperts
Principal Financial Group
RFE Investments
Sanwa Research Institute
Sipsa
Strategic Thinking Group
Tavelli
The Brickkicker Home Inspection
The PR Store
VIPs
Web Weavers International



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Medical/Optical/Health
Active Duty Fitness
American Alternative Hospitals
American Family Doctor
Body Access, LLC
Body Elements
Buff Buddies
Cardio-Fitness Corporation
Club 50 Fitness Centers
Delta Dental
Eyeglass Emporium
First Optometry
Fit Zone for Women
Hair Club for Men (The)
Intrivah
Jasneek Medical Staffing
L.A. Weight Loss Centers
Living Well
Rapid Care
Satellite Med
Sterling Optical
Sunstone Yoga
Synergy HomeCare

Please visit Francorp's website for more information, www.francorp.com. Francorp has a great deal of information on both buying franchises as well as franchising operations.

Francorp Client - BlueVantage

Francorp recently began working with BlueVantage to develop their franchise organization. Francorp is excited and ready to take BlueVantage to the next level of their organizational growth.

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BlueVantage to Expand through Franchising
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February 24, 2008 - (San Diego, CA) - After almost 20 years of experience in providing IT professional services, David Schell realized that there was a need for a trusted advisor that could meet the technological needs of small businesses. In 2002, David founded BlueVantage. Today, through extensive innovation and adoption of best practices, BlueVantage provides emerging businesses the most advanced IT solution available at a very competitive price.In addition to comprehensive, 24X7, IT proactive maintenance and support, all for an affordable and predictable monthly fee, BlueVantage provides emerging businesses a Virtual Chief Information Officer, on-site project and logistics management, as well as certified technical expertise. “The service delivery model I have architected, with the help of an incredibly talented team, is significantly different then our competitors and provides an unprecedented value to emerging businesses.

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Franchising provides the best means to minimize time-to-market and is the best methodology for ensuring a consistent customer experience.” BlueVantage has engaged the accomplished consulting firm, Francorp, to maximize BlueVantage’s franchising efforts. For more information about BlueVantage call (858) 451-3555.

Francorp

You can also interact with and see what Francorp clients have to say about the firm at http://www.francorp1.com/

Franchising A Business

Franchising a business takes a great deal of planning and structure. In order to do this effectively one must have the correct structure, training systems and commitment to effectively grow a franchise organization. This is only possible by bringing in the right people, professionals and experienced staff. Francorp is a professional organization of franchise consultants built on the principals that make businesses successful. Please visit Francorp's site, http://www.francorp.com/ for more information, details and insight into what has make the firm the most productive and successful franchise organization in the world.

You can also interact with and see what Francorp clients have to say about the firm at http://www.francorp1.com/