Global Franchise 9.1

GLOBAL-FRANCHISE.COM 51 There’s a clear risk here. And event organizers were wary to provide enough responsible handholding before thrusting visitors in front of the latest big brand opportunities. Kevin Hein, partner and co-chair of the franchising and licence sector group at Akerman LLP was one such voice of caution. He aimed to educate current franchise owners, brand managers, and international development managers about the processes, best practices, and key considerations that come with launching and establishing a U.K. brand in the buzzing U.S. market. “The U.S. represents a vibrant market for expanding brands and so I discussed some of the opportunities and challenges of taking a U.K. brand to the U.S. market, in particular the very different regulatory environment.” Hein touched on a vital point; it’s not just U.S. brands who are making moves into U.K. markets, but vice versa. Beyond this, the show also showed there was a significant appetite for cultural exchanges in other regions. “What a fantastic show to attend. Not seen a franchise show that busy for 20 or more years. Hope the energy and enthusiasm from the show continues into a load of new franchisees” Martin Hawthorne, Franchise Business Development, Co-Op Matthew Haller, President and CEO at the International Franchise Association. “We’re supporting those franchise brands with a vision to take the leap from the U.S. and Canada into the U.K. and beyond – really putting the I in IFA. And we were also at the show for franchisors from the U.K. and Europe interested in taking the leap to the United States.” Current research indicates that food, hotels, children’s services, and consumer experiences are proving the most transferrable when moving into new markets, and the IFS aimed to reflect this in the opportunities it presented to potential investors. This was made clear by the dedicated children’s services pavilion, which showcased established behemoths such as 2inspire, Engino, and The Creation Station, each looking to tighten their market grasps further. “This year at IFS, U.S.-based exhibitors ranged from hospitality and food brands to health and beauty franchises,” added Haller. “The children’s services sector is always well represented at this expo, and the 2024 show was no exception – it’s clearly a strong market in the U.K.” However, despite the evident U.K. and U.S. parallels that qualify the country as a potential ‘gateway to Europe’ there are plenty of examples of why potential investors must conduct a hefty amount of due diligence before signing a franchise agreement, especially one that requires scaling. Even some the most reputable and beloved brands have previously overlooked market nuances to make their grand entrance into Europe an epic fail. CHILDREN’S SERVICES MASTER FRANCHISES 2inspire Baby College Daisy First Aid Drama Kids Engino Mind Marvels Swimtime TappyToes The Creation Station We Do Play XplorerGroup – Computer Xplorers