INSIDE FRANCHISING: GOOGLE'S #1 FOR FRANCHISING NEWS !
Delivering franchising news and opportunities since 2005

SWEET TREAT LAUNCHED

In a first for the retail treat market, and a delicious twist on an old favourite, Wendy’s will launch a new product this April.

Wendy’s 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand will soon include gourmet Ice Cream Cupcakes on the menu - chocolate cups filled with Wendy’s scoop ice cream, topped with flavoured whipped cream and decorated with chocolate or biscuit pieces.

“At Wendy’s we are always developing unique and innovative products and we are very excited to be the first to offer Ice Cream Cupcakes. We’re sure this product will prove to be very popular,” said Wendy’s General Manager Marketing, Todd Duthie.

“Our stores already offer a delicious range of Ice Cream Cakes however the Ice Cream Cupcake is something new for our franchisees and for our customers. They are perfect for an individual treat and will also be a great take-home product to share with the family or as a great dessert for dinner parties.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to offer compelling products that are easy to make and ensure customers keep coming back to our counters.”

Wendy’s Ice Cream Cupcakes will be available in all stores from Monday, April 19

and customers can choose their ice cream flavour and toppings.

Click here for more information about Wendy's Franchising

BRISBANE COFFEE CONNOISSEUR CROWNED DONUT KING'S 100TH BARISTA

Brisbane coffee connoisseur and Donut King Brookside owner Deb Liversidge has been crowned Donut King’s 100th Royal Bean Barista, the company’s most prestigious and coveted coffee accreditation. Deb, with her husband Mace, own four Donut King stores in Brisbane – Brookside, Toombul and two in Strathpine. Joining the franchise in 1991, they have been Donut King franchisees for almost two decades.

Donut King National Operations Manager Chris Szysz said he was thrilled to acknowledge the achievements of one of the company’s longest standing franchisees. “In the competitive world of coffee baristas that can make a captivating cappuccino or a luscious latte are valuable assets, so we are thrilled to have Deb on our team. I’d like to commend Deb for her dedication and commitment. She makes a great cup of coffee, so Brisbane residents are lucky to have her!” he said.

Click here for more information about Donut King Franchising

EXPERT COMMENT

Government must strike a balance with Franchising Code reforms

Hall & Wilcox Partner and Head of Franchising & Distribution, Bruce McFarlane, is urging Government to ensure it strikes a balance in the requirements asked of franchisors as part of its reform to the Franchising Code of Conduct.

Announced by the Minister for Small Business, Dr Craig Emerson on 3 March 2010, the reform requests franchisors provide prospective franchisees with a plain English document emphasising the key costs, benefits and risks of the franchise system.

Mr McFarlane said that Government needs to be mindful of achieving a balance in requirements between franchisors and franchisees.

“Better information for franchisees should mean less disputes, and that’s a good thing for the franchising sector overall,” he said.

“However, this needs to be balanced by the amount of information that franchisors are required to provide, so it’s not too onerous a task.

“I am also not convinced that creating a plain English version is going to substantially shift the bar of understanding amongst franchisees.

“There is already a lot of information available and franchise agreements and mandatory disclosure documents set out the legal framework of the franchisor/franchisee relationship. “Franchisees need to take responsibility to understand the elements of the legal arrangements before entering into the contract, and obtain independent legal and financial advice on the matter.”

Mr McFarlane said, “No matter what reforms are put in place or initiatives undertaken, the law cannot protect business failure absolutely. Potential and existing franchisees need to be educated and this should be the role of Government together with relevant industry associations like the FCA.”

The industry awaits the Government’s preferred format of the plain English guide.  Government does not intend to introduce further changes to franchising laws in the next three to five years, in order to allow time for case law to develop and the effectiveness of the changes to be evaluated.

 About Hall & Wilcox:
Hall & Wilcox is a full-service commercial law firm, comprising 28 partners, 79 lawyers and approximately 200 people in total. Whilst headquartered in Melbourne, the firm has a number of national clients and is also a member of the State Capital Group, an international network of independent law firms that have demonstrated the highest quality service and industry leadership.

The Hall & Wilcox partnership has been established for over 90 years and continues to provide high quality commercial advice to its clients across all practice areas.

ARA CALLS FOR NO MORE THAN $10.50 MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) hassubmitted to Fair Work Australia's Federal Minimum Wage review calling for a realistic and manageable minimum wage increase at $10.50 per week.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said Fair Work Australia's (FWA) Minimum Wage Panel must consider the impact of wage bill increases as a result of the Award Modernisation process as well as retailers' plans to cut staff hours to cope with skyrocketing employment costs.

"The ARA strongly recommends Fair Work Australia (FWA) hands down a minimum wage increase that is realistic and reasonable and one that considers continued recovering trading conditions and wage bill increases for Award reliant industries," Zimmerman said.

"Over 41 percent of retailers are telling us the changes to IR laws would mean reducing staff hours. Over 46 percent of retailers are planning on decreasing casual staff levels, 39 percent are planning on decreasing part-time staff levels and over 36 percent of retailers are planning on decreasing permanent staff levels over the next 12 months*.

"Retailers' have planned to respond to wage bill increases by cutting staff hours. This is a direct indication of their limited capacity to pay escalating wage bills during a period of continued recovery.

"Retail trade has been patchy and below expectations for the past eighteen months. Over 63 percent of recently surveyed retailers said the Christmas and post-Christmas sales seasons they've just experienced were worse than the previous year, indicating a pull back from consumers after successive interest rate rises at the end of 2009 and without the help of a Government stimulus package*.

"Recent announcements from unions calling for unmanageable minimum wage increases disregard the wage bill increases that award reliant industries are already facing as a result of the Award Modernisation process.

"Fair Work Australia's decision must not compensate for last year's 'nil' minimum wage increase which was a landmark decision for the time. Fair Work Australia must look forward, not backwards when considering the Federal Minimum Wage for 2010 and make a decision that protects jobs - not one that threatens them," Zimmerman said.

For over 105 years, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body in Australia's $292 billion retail sector which employs over 1.5 million people. As an incorporated employer body under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 and with a range of member services including business consulting, policy development, advocacy and education, the ARA promotes and protects over 5000 independent and national retailers throughout Australia. Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

Advertising Opportunities

 Click here to Contact Us for more information on how Inside Franchising

can help you to get your Brand out into the www marketplace.

QUICK SHOTS FRANCHISING NEWS

We save you time each week by sourcing Franchising, Business and Finance news from media outlets around the world

> To read the full story on these recent news items simply click on the link to visit our News Pages,

and then follow the story links

INSIDE FRANCHISING: GOOGLE'S #1 FOR FRANCHISING NEWS !

Inside Franchising and Google Search = #1 Success

Find www.insidefranchising.com.au listed as Number One
by Googling the phrase: "Franchising News"
PLUS Premier positioning (#1 - #2) for many of our advertisers **
with prospective franchisees looking for information about opportunities available,
now is the time to get your advertising organised!

Click here to Contact Us for more information on our economical all-inclusive
advertising package and representation in our newsletter

DO YOU HAVE NEWS TO SHARE?

WHERE IN THE WORLD?         

Did you know that Inside Franchising newsletter subscribers reside not only here in Australia, but also in countries around the globe including New Zealand, France, India, Malaysia, Italy, Greece, China, South Africa, UK, USA and more? 

Do you have News for us or are you interested in advertising with us?

Please click here to contact us about having your article published

NEED MORE INFORMATION?

Ever wanted to know more about a particular franchise? How much does one cost?

Is there an opportunity available? What kind of experience is needed?

Simply visit us at Inside Franchising to view our full list of opportunities

www.insidefranchising.com.au

There is always a lot to see and do !

Would you like to advertise with Inside Franchising?
Send all enquiries to:
webmaster@insidefranchising.com.au