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Franchising in the News
Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip, one of North America’s most prominent dessert cafe franchises, is coming to Halifax. The Texas-based chain, which has more than 100 cafes in the U.S., Canada and the Middle East, has signed a franchise agreement with Alpha Omega Investments Inc. of Hammonds Plains to open three Halifax outlets.
A Canadian staple in Fernie is set to receive a makeover. The local Canadian Tire was recently taken over by new owners and they have big plans for the home, outdoor, and automotive store. Angus and Margaret McDonald have been behind the wheel of the Fernie Canadian Tire since the end of March. The husband and wife have been involved with the Canadian retailer for 32 years, owning three other franchises of the company in Ontario over the last 14 years.
Emily Mirsky loves going to work each day. Of course, it helps that the work is the COBS Bread franchise she and her husband Craig Cochrane own and operate. “People are generally pretty happy when they go to a bakery,” she says. In addition to smell of fresh-baked bread, Ms. Mirsky, who handles the front-of-house duties, makes a point of getting to know her.
Ed Hardy doesn’t often watch “Dragon’s Den,” but a chance viewing recently has launched a new business career for him in Newfoundland and Labrador. Hardy is the holder of the Avalon Peninsula rights for GoTire, a mobile tire shop franchise that was launched in Canada by two Red Deer businessmen two years ago.
Last week in this space, I discussed some of the issues you can expect to confront if you are seeking to acquire the Canadian rights to a foreign (specifically, U.S.) franchise system. However, as our world gets flatter and international concepts more accessible to a broader audience, domestic business owners should also be prepared top expand outside of Canada.
A local seniors’ care organization was recently honoured for its quality and commitment to its cause. Home Instead Senior Care – which has offices based in Kanata and the Glebe, around the country and the world – received a gold medal of excellence in franchising at the 22nd annual Canadian Franchise Association National Convention, held in Montreal on April 8.
Billy Newell's banking on burgers - American burgers, to be precise. Newell holds the Vancouver franchise for American powerhouse Carl's Jr. and he's counting on locals to eschew their salads and chomp into half-a-million guacamole-bacon burgers instead. But popular American restaurant chains such as Carl's and Famous Dave's now making forays into Canada can expect to find themselves bumping heads with sturdy local competitors who've also identified Western Canada for growth.
When The Dwyer Group opened its doors in 1981, founder Don Dwyer only had one brand. But in time, the business has grown to become the holding company of seven service-based franchise organizations: Aire Serv®, Glass Doctor®, Mr. Appliance®, Mr. Electric®, Mr. Rooter®, Rainbow International® and The Grounds Guys™.
Tom O’Neill, president of Quesada Franchising of Canada Corp., announced that Quesada Burritos and Tacos plans to significantly expand the chain after signing three additional Area Developer contracts. The new contracts covering Toronto, Eastern Ontario, and Western Quebec in Canada, and will add a minimum of 90 new Quesada restaurants within the next five years.
Pizza Nova is celebrating a special occasion this Tuesday: 50 years in the biz. And the award-winning, family-run pizza company with the memorable jingle is celebrating like it has always done, by giving back to the community it holds so dear. A dollar from each medium-size pepperoni pizza sold between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. will be donated to Variety Village. This initiative is only part of the celebrations that have been taking place to mark this milestone — it has been busy giving away a slew of prizes, including trips to Italy.
Late one night in January 2012, Paige Palmer called her mother at home, crying. She was entering her final semester as a communications major at St. Mary’s College of California in Moraga, and neither she nor her friends were finding work. The job market was terrifying.
When Boris Lee travelled to California in 2011 with his family and discovered Menchie’s frozen yogurt, he was inspired by the friendly atmosphere, self-serve format, and delicious frozen treats. Returning to Toronto, he started researching franchise opportunities with two partners — his brother and a close friend.
When she began working as a teen at a Druxy’s Deli in Toronto, Rebecca Page had no idea she too would be the founder of a franchise one day – and that, years later, she would find herself sharing a table with Druxy executives Harold and Peter Druxerman at an award ceremony where Ms. Page’s franchise, Concierge Home Services, was being fêted by the Canadian Franchise Association.
I was sufficiently impressed by a presentation I attended during the Canadian Franchise Association’s National Convention last week that I am now coming down firmly on the side of franchisees being authorized to have their own social media accounts (until someone convinces me otherwise). Steve Buors of Reshift Media in Toronto taught us about the next stage in the evolution of social media being the combination of “social” and “searching” and it is fascinating.
WELLAND - Working in and managing her own restaurant is not a job for Deb Zahra. It never has been. Each day she wakes, she says, she can’t wait to get ready and spend her day at work. “I have a very personal relationship with my guests. I am serving food to people who come in every day. Sometimes it’s a just an everyday meal but having a meal can also celebrate new babies, anniversaries and weddings. It’s a personal experience,” she says. The key to good service for Zahra is to treat people who come into her restaurant as guests — not customers — as if she personally invited them into her home. As a typical working day in a restaurant can last up to 13 hours or more, Zahra isn’t a stranger to hard work. Her 30 years of experience working in the service industry is proof of that. When she was 26, Zahra was the general manager of a multimillion-dollar establishment in downtown Toronto and by the time she turned 40 she was overseeing 27 Boston Pizza franchises in Canada.
Dartmouth sisters Gracia Miousse and Mary Dort are the first Lice Squad Canada franchisees in Nova Scotia. Lice Squad, established in Ontario in 2001, sells head lice treatment products and offers lice removal services at homes or in clinics. Miousse said she and her sister paid $20,000 to buy the local franchise after experiencing first-hand the effectiveness of the enzyme-based, non-chemical treatments. “We had a problem last summer with a family member,” Miousse said. Unable to find an effective treatment in Nova Scotia, the sisters discovered Lice Squad online. “It worked,” Miousee said. “We were thrilled with the product and decided to buy in to the company.”
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Nestle dessert cafe chain setting up shop in three Halifax sites