It’s a fact: Canadians love to dine with the franchise model, with more Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) members involved in the food service industry than any other sector. In Canada, 22 million restaurant visits are made every day across the country, and many of these visits are made to quick service restaurant (QSR) franchise locations.
QSR franchises are not only providing Canadian consumers with convenience, but they’re also offering time-starved diners the flavours they crave. In this QSR issue, we focus on this growing sector, including the wide range of opportunities available and tips and advice for how to get started. We’ll also share success stories to showcase how franchisees can thrive in this sector.
As Canada becomes increasingly multicultural, its diners are seeking culinary options from around the world. Our cover story introduces QSR franchises that are connecting consumers with international tastes, from perogies and poké bowls to souvlaki and Thai dishes. For those with tastes closer to home, we highlight the burger segment in our Innovative Burger Franchises feature. This feature profiles three burger franchises with their own take on this traditional fare, who are serving up a premium burger experience for diners on the go.
Canadians also love their coffee: according to the Canadian Coffee Association, it’s the most commonly-consumed beverage – more popular than tap water! We take you on a tour of coffee franchises that are connecting with their customers to become mainstays in their Canadian communities.
While food franchises are catering to Canadians with hectic schedules, health and fitness franchises across the country are focused on keeping Canadians moving. We take you on a tour of health and fitness franchises from one coast to the other, focusing on their unique offerings and what you need to know to get started in this category.
In the past three issues, we’ve shared the stories of families who franchise together, and on page XX, we continue this exploration of the family dynamic in franchising. Here, four families, including those with QSR franchises, outline what brought them to franchise together, and how they successfully mix their business and family lives.
Beyond the opportunities, we also provide a glimpse into the motivation and personal side of Dominique Boudreau, director of research and development at Cora Breakfast and Lunch, along with a look into the past, present, and future of Iconic Brand Little Caesars.
With so many enticing opportunities available, it can help to learn firsthand from franchisees who have found success. Millennial franchisee Lindsey Caron shares her inspirational story of determination in launching her Quesada franchise, while MVP Modern Barbers franchisee Mercy Carlos reveals how she’s making her business dreams come true through franchising. We also take a look back at the first year of franchising for Global Pet Foods franchisees Ambrose and Maureen Yung, who left previous careers to follow their passion for pets.
Once you’ve found the right franchise opportunity, it’s important to carry out the proper due diligence before you sign the franchise agreement. We share some tips and advice to help you prepare for and evaluate the critical meeting with the franchise support team at their head office. You can also find more resources to help with the due diligence process at www.FranchiseCanada.Online.
Filled with opportunities, success stories, and advice, we hope that this May/June QSR issue gives you a taste for franchising and helps in making your franchise dreams become a reality.