A reminder to enter the FASA Awards for 2006. With five categories to enter – Franchisor of the Year, Franchisee of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Franchisor: Leading Developer of Emerging Entrepreneurs and Brand Builder of the Year – there is a category that suits every FASA member, big or small. The closing date for entries is the 31st August 2006. Log onto FASA’s website www.fasa.co.za and download the entry form and getting cracking! The judging panel has also been selected and will consist of:

• Dr David Morobe of the Gauteng Enterprise Propellor
• Professor Michael Cant, of Unisa
• Mr Johan Louw of the Business School of Entrepreneurship
• Ms Tumi Sengoara of Chamsa

The prestigious FASA Awards for Excellence in Franchising are made possible by the support of the franchisors who attend the function but more importantly by the support of the sponsors. Our main sponsors this year are:

• STANDARD BANK who take over the highest accolade – the Franchisor of the Year sponsorship
• FIRST NATIONAL BANK who this year sponsor the Franchisee of the Year as well as the Regional Awards
• ABSA who sponsor the Newcomer Franchisor of the Year
• OLD MUTUALl sponsors the Brand Builder of the Year
• Franchisor: Leading Developer of Emerging Entrrpreneurs is sponsored this year by the Industrial Development Corporation.

As the costs of staging the Awards evening for over 500 people are extremely high, we appeal to members to consider taking up one of our smaller sponsorships would help cover the costs of the wine/champagne, the room décor, gifts, staging and printed material. Should anyone wish to assist FASA with sponsorship, contact Giuli Osso on (011) 802-1611 or email: giuli@gocomms.co.za

The World Franchise Council, of which FASA is a member, decided at their meeting in Tokyo in March to include an International Summit to the IFA’s Convention Programme to be held at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, USA from the 24 – 27th February 2007. In order for the programme to reflect international reality and the experience of various markets, the organizers are looking for a fair representation of WFC members’ representatives (preferably franchisor members of national associations) to present on a variety of subjects founded on real experience of international franchising. The programme is divided into a “Beginner’s Track” (for those franchises which are only starting to go international), an “Advanced Track” (for franchises with international experience) and other concurrent sessions. Should you wish to be part of this initiative and present at this prestigious international event, contact Vera Valasis at FASA on (011) 615-0359 or email vera.valasis@fasa.co.za for more details. Submissions must be in by 11 August 2006. FASA members have shown an interest in getting together a group to visit the IFA Convention in February 2007.

If you want an added incentive to your own national franchisee awards or would like to nominate one of your franchisees for Franchisee of the Year, don’t forget to enter the Regional Franchisee of the Year awards – winners in the 4 regions (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng) will be brought up to Johannesburg for the FASA Awards. Send us a list of your franchisees in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Gauteng Eastern Cape and Western Cape and we will send them an invitation to attend the Regional Award Banquets in those areas. Email your lists to giuli@gocomms.co.za

Following other franchisors, such as Butterfield and Hot Dog Café, Taste Holdings, which owns fast food chain Scooters Pizza and Maxi’s, is working closely with the Industrial Development Corporation to expand its black franchisee base. It has acquired funding of R21,5 million from the Industrial Development Corporation, of which 75% will be used to fund black franchisees, with the balance used for other eacquisitions. The funding from the IDC was negotiated at prime minus 5%.

The Franchising Sector is just one of the many sectors which have had to put their BEE guidelines on hold until the Government finalises their broad-based BEE Codes of Good Practice. The delay, which followed the release of the 2nd phase of the Codes of Good Practice on BEE in December 2005, was due to over 180 submissions from various sectors – including big business, black business, government and state-owned enterprises. As a result, the dti has embarked on extensive research into issues of concern. Whilst the key principles embedded in the Codes of Good Practice for BEE remain unchanged, several changes relating to the number of indicators to the scorecard and looking at simplifying and creating a special dispensation for small and micro enterprises is being considered.

To read the full DTI press release click here

Multiserv, South Africa’s 37 year-old leader in the shoe repair and key cutting industry has launched a new franchise option in the form of a container, which makes owning a business more viable and easily accessible for many budding entrepreneurs. Their first container was opened in Diepsloot in June, opening the door for more people to start their own profitable businesses because of its low set-up cost and manageability. The Multiserv Container goes where one wants it to go, from parking lots to the most remote rural areas and as such provides convenience and service provision for customers as well as employment opportunities and increased income for the community. Franchisees will more than likely come from within the communities that they operate in and therefore the container and Multiserv brand will be easily intergrated into these communities. The Multiserv brand currently has 155 franchised outlets countrywide and with this great new addition should grow in leaps and bounds over the next few years.

The European Franchise Federation and the International Franchise Association invite you to attend our “International Symposium on Franchising”, October 24-25th, 2006 in Brussels, Belgium. The conference focuses on the potential of franchising as a means of growing a business internationally and brings together the experience of the franchise community from Europe and the USA, Canada and Australia in a 2-day conference in which the focus is on those who practice franchising. For further information contact Carol Chopra Executive Director, European Franchise Federation. Visit www.eff-franchise.com or email info@eff-franchise.com

Canada’s interest in investing in Africa is growing and on the 7th June the Canadian Council on Africa (CCAfrica) was invited by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to give a presentation on the economic development in Africa and the potential that exists in doing business in Africa. The 10 Senators felt the presentation by the Canadian Council on Africa with the assistance of Perry Maisoneuve of Northern Lights, whom we in South Africa know due to his involvement with the research on Franchising in Africa that he did for the African Development Bank, gave them a better perspective of Africa and the role that the Canadian private and public sector can play in stimulating business between Canada and African countries.

Click here to read the full report

According to a report in the New York Times, despite increases in the gas price, in mortgage rates, with house prices slipping and the US automobile market showing no signs of recovery and ordinary US workers with paychecks that over the past four years hasn’t kept up with inflation, the US economy continues to forge ahead with a growth rate of 50% for the first quarter of 2006, the biggest increase since 2003.