Singapore’s top achievers in the franchising and licensing industry were recognised at the annual Franchising and Licensing Association (FLA) Awards 2016 held at the Marina Mandarin Ballroom last night.
Currently in its 12th year, the FLA Awards continues to provide a formidable platform for successful franchise concepts and businesses to be showcased in the international arena. It also serves as a regional benchmark for franchise concepts aspiring to greater heights. The Awards, made up of both Competitive and Recognition Awards, comprises eight different categories that recognise and honour the various players in the industry – Franchisors, Licensors and Franchisees.
The 2016 Awards, which saw Sunflower Childcare clinching the title of ‘Overall Winner, Promising Franchisor of the Year’, had increased participation from the education sector. This reflects the continued growth of the education industry within the franchising and licensing scene. In line with the global trend of innovation, the Singapore-headquartered childcare group’s success can be attributed to its unique customisation model and record of constant innovation and development. Since starting its franchise business in 2005, Sunflower Childcare has opened 20 centres in total; 18 in Singapore and 2 in China.
Sharon Lee, Director of Sunflower Childcare, said, “It is our first year participating in the awards and we are thrilled to have gotten the title of ‘Overall Winner, Promising Franchisor of the Year’. At Sunflower Childcare, we pride ourselves in the stringent process of acquiring franchisees and ensuring that they are well taken care of. We are looking to expand into international shores and FLA has been fundamental in enriching us with the relevant insights for expansion into our potential markets.”
According to Donna Lee, Chair of FLA (Singapore), “The encouraging progress of our franchisors is a reflection of how companies can leverage on intangible assets like strong branding and innovative technology to penetrate new markets successfully. With the franchising and licensing landscape becoming increasingly diversified, it is key for companies to constantly innovate and expand into the global market in order to keep up with market trends and to remain competitive. FLA Singapore prides itself in equipping companies with the right toolset for internationalisation and we look forward to working with more businesses to help them successfully expand across markets and the region.”
Earning the title of ‘Overall Winner, Franchisor of the Year’, veteran establishment 7-Eleven has constantly been at the forefront in the franchising and licensing playing field. Since opening its first franchised store in 1988, 7-Eleven has been offering entrepreneurs the unique opportunity to leverage on a renowned global platform to start a business. To date, it has a total of 207 franchised stores, forming 47% of its expanding network of 441 stores island-wide.
David Goh, CEO of 7-Eleven, said, “Despite being in the franchising and licensing scene for more than three decades, we are continually learning and growing with the industry. Over the last few years, 7-Eleven has been constantly innovating and transforming its business model to be more relevant to its consumers and to add value to its franchisees. Our advice to franchisors looking to enter the industry would be to communicate with your franchisees, build a solid foundation of trust and constantly innovate your business model.”
Traditional sectors like the Food & Beverage industry remained strong, with Thailand-established food service chain, The Pizza Company, being crowned ‘Overall Winner, International Franchisor of the Year’. Having adopted a master franchise model internationally, The Pizza Company has opened over 400 outlets in 9 countries in a span of 12 years.
John Heinecke, Chief Operating Officer of Minor Food Group, said, “We are excited that The Pizza Company has been awarded ‘Overall Winner, International Franchisor of the Year’. This award showcases and recognises the systems that we have been building for the last 16 years to where it is today. With many of our brands operating in Singapore, we strongly believe in teaching our franchisees the art of learning to create wealth as we strive together towards success.”
Donna Lee added, “FLA is proud to be able to bridge the gap between the global and local market with its strong government ties and prominent memberships in the World Franchise Council and Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation. Over the years, Singapore has been seen as a model test-bed and we are glad that we are able to assist international companies looking to penetrate the Singapore and Asian market.”
The Awards were held in conjunction with FLAsia – an industry exhibition and conference, running from 13th to 15th October, showcasing both home-grown franchises and franchise opportunities from around the world. The exhibition this year saw participation from 17 countries, with international brands such as Swarovski, Delifrance, Gloria Jean’s Coffee and Coca Restaurant exhibiting. More information of the exhibition can be found on http://franchiselicenseasia.com/.
Other Winners at the FLA Awards 2016 include Japan IPL Express, Mulberry Learning Centre, Anytime Fitness, Seoul Garden and Dancing Crab. The full winner list is attached separately and more information and images can be found on the FLA Awards website: http://www.flaawards.com/.