International Franchising
Going International
Are you considering expanding your business into international markets?
… Or have you been contacted by someone who wants to take your business concept into another country?
Or maybe this is the first time you have thought about it, but have recently been contacted by someone who wants to take your business concept into another country? However you have come to the idea of international franchising, our team can help you find a way to turn that ambition into a reality.
Already an established international franchise?If so, click here to learn how you can access any or all of our full spectrum of international franchising services →
For many of the world’s most successful brands, franchising has proven to be the easiest and most successful route to achieve international growth – just take McDonald’s, Starbuck’s, or Subway, for example. All started out as small businesses in their own local markets, and became some of the biggest names in the world, all through the power of franchising.
So, could international franchising work the same magic for you and your business? And, if so, how do you go about making it happen?
Let’s find out! Click through the sections below for more information and guidance, or you can also get in touch to receive more info or to schedule a no obligation call with our Head of International Franchising, Farrah Rose.
Franchising vs ‘Traditional’ corporate growth
For example, you could go the traditional corporate route of opening new branches overseas yourself, simply replicating your business model in the UK elsewhere, perhaps with a few adjustments to suit the local market after undertaking some country entry preparatory work. This does mean you can retain total control of your business and its growth, as well as all the profits that come with it. However, you also need to have considerably more capital to invest, which can both slow down your growth and expose you to greater risk and increase initial capital outlay in an unfamiliar market.
Then, of course, there are the many cultural, political and legal differences to negotiate. Every market has its own characteristics, and a company owned model will naturally be at a disadvantage compared to local brands who already understand exactly how to make things work on their home turf.
Why choose Franchising for international growth?
International Franchising comes with many of the same benefits of franchising in your domestic market, such as expanding far faster than traditional growth allows, attracting highly motivated entrepreneurs, and using other people’s investment capital to help fuel your growth.
However, there’s one huge extra advantage when applied to overseas growth: Local Market Expertise.
No one person can be expected to be an expert in every single nuance of all 195 countries in the world, and all their various sub cultures and markets.
Local entrepreneurs joining your franchise will bring with them all their experience and deep knowledge of the regional market. Their understanding of customer preferences, cultural nuances, and regulatory requirements increases the likelihood of success compared to corporate-owned operations.
Is International franchising right for you?
For example, you don’t have to be a franchise who has already maxed out their domestic market to succeed overseas or, in fact, even be a franchise at all. There are many great examples of brands who only have a few branches in their home country finding fantastic success in other countries, and plenty who only operate the franchise model overseas.
There is no single ‘right way’ to franchise internationally but there will be a right way for your specific business, and we will be able to help and advise you on how to develop this.
How we can Help you
International franchising can be an incredible journey, one that is both financially and personally rewarding, but it sure isn’t easy.
As you will already know from your own business, growing into new locations is never as simple as just copying and pasting what you already have.
Even nearby markets have their nuances which have to be planned for.
We can help you not only assess your capability to grow overseas as a franchise, but also:
Bring the very best consultants to your team – industry experts who have real, in-depth experience of franchising
Create a comprehensive development plan to help you scale up manageably and effectively
Work with our network of local experts and consultants in 103 different countries to precisely tailor your offering to specific markets
Offer key insights into developing and emergent market opportunities around the world
Help you identify franchise partners in your target markets and guide you through effective and productive negotiations
Help you identify franchise partners in your target markets and guide you through effective and productive negotiations
Help you ensure you have the right infrastructure, resources and people in place
Market Entry Studies
A comprehensive Market Entry Study is the single biggest factor that separates international franchise success from failure.
It should be so much more than just a decent plan backed by a bit of online research, but rather an in-depth analysis that reveals what will work, what won’t, and exactly how to achieve clearly defined goals in a new market.
This is what transforms franchise expansion plans from hopeful thinking into a proven, market-ready opportunity, and it’s what serious investors look for when weighing up whether a brand is truly prepared to support growth in their region.
Our Market Entry Studies provide exactly this level of rigour and insight. Each study we produce covers, as a minimum:
Local market analysis
Competitor performance, consumer behaviour trends, and informed forecasts of future growth potential
Localisation strategies
How your product or service aligns with cultural preferences and customer expectations
Market potential and capacity
Local franchising insights
Competitor analysis
Strategic market positioning
Accounting for diverse regional differences and territorial demarcation
Financial modelling
Projections for startup costs, EBITDA potential, and payback periods
Implementation plans
Suppliers, equipment costs, technology enhancements, and fit-out strategy
Support structures
Clear division of responsibilities between franchisor and investors
Strategic market positioning
Financial modelling
Implementation plans
Support structures
Why work with us?
We have worked with businesses from a variety of sectors, including Social Care, Education, Children’s Activities, Retail, and Restaurants and Food Service offerings. The one thing they had in common was a desire to be successful internationally and they chose to work with our International Franchise consultancy team. You will have at your disposal one of the most experienced teams in the franchising world, spanning specialisms from consultancy, finance, and recruitment, through to design, IT, and content creation.
Our team of International franchise consultants at The Franchising Centre have over 40 years’ experience of successfully taking UK companies to the rest of the world and bringing international companies into the UK. The team have associates literally all over the world – Europe, SE Asia, North and South America, Australasia and Africa – and we are able to rely on them to bring their local knowledge and expertise to each of our projects.
Combined with our own extensive track record in helping brands embrace international franchising, it’s an unbeatable recipe for success!

























