A new territory, a new audience, a twist to the tale of franchising.
Akhilesh from Malt & Salt analysed & presented two sides of the franchising coin. A very interesting subject that has been the main driver of growth, development and expansion of a lot of Western brands in the Gulf region over the last few decades. Leading brands have found favour from Middle East investors willing to put their monies into opening, operating & expanding brands from overseas.
Such has been the pace of expansion that the Middle East region has become the hub and melting pot of most international brands with high spends from customers, higher revenues, customer loyalty thus contributing handsomely to the international coffers.
Akhilesh analysed the franchising model and showcased at the expo, the merits and demerits of taking on a franchise brand vs building your own. The presentation was an absolutely unbiased break-down of the business models, operating practices, legalities, financials & growth potential.
Interacting with and meeting delegates at the conference in Bahrain was a great learning experience, which also improved our learning about the region, especially with investors who had come from Saudi Arabia to attend the expo.
