Today’s international franchise round-up covers generous donations, the expansion of a soap retail franchise and brands launching new online tools.
GF Podcast: Sean Murphy of BDO USA
On the latest episode of the Global Franchise Podcast, we spoke to Sean Murphy, who has worked within the risk management industry for more than two decades. Now as the managing director of BDO USA, Murphy works with businesses every day to assess the impact that something like COVID-19 might have on their brand, and prepare accordingly. This has exposed him to every kind of scenario you could imagine and has also equipped him with some expert tips for franchises that may need guidance when it comes to forward-planning.
“Organizations that are poor in risk management just react to a situation from a communications perspective,” said Murphy. “They are reacting to the now and not thinking about the long term, which is very important to us.
”I always like to quote Warren Buffett in these types of truly global situations, ‘Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked”. I think this is going to show who’s been at risk and who’s not.”
To listen to the full conversation, and to check out our other episodes with franchising professionals, make sure to visit globalfranchisemagazine.com/podcast.
Jersey’s Mikes to donate 20 per cent of this weekend’s sales to Feeding America
On Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, Jersey Mike’s will donate 20 per cent of its sales – at least $1m – to Feeding America, a nonprofit organization that comprises a network of more than 200 food banks.
Feeding America states that 37 million people in America currently face hunger, and estimates that an additional 17.1 million people could face hunger in the next six months as a result of the pandemic.
“School closures and rising unemployment due to shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders have disproportionately impacted people already at risk of hunger,” said Katie Fitzgerald, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Feeding America. “We are grateful for Jersey Mike’s generous support of food banks that are in communities helping people who struggle with hunger. This donation will help our member food banks provide more meals to people who need them most.”
Guests can place takeout orders in-store or order no contact pick-up at the door through Jersey Mike’s website or the Jersey Mike’s app.
Across the country, Jersey Mike’s franchise owners are paying it forward in other ways, too, by donating millions of subs to local hospitals, first responders, children in need of a meal, senior citizens, and more.
GYMGUYZ beefs up its franchise network in Q1; announces further growth plans despite global economic uncertainty
Personal training franchise, GYMGUYZ, has announced that it added eight new franchisees in 16 new territories across Charlotte and Greensboro, North Caroline; Delray Beach, Naples and Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Oakville, Ontario.
In addition to expanding its international footprint, GYMGUYZ has confronted the consequences presented to the fitness industry by COVID-19 by going completely digital. The brand is offering virtual personal training sessions, streaming weekly workouts via Facebook Live, and lending specialized exercise equipment to clients so they can safely continue their workouts at home.
The founder of GYMGUYZ, Josh York, created the fitness brand at his parents’ dining room table in Plainview, New York during the economic crisis of 2008, so he is no stranger to thinking on his feet during times of uncertainty. He said: “What COVID-19 has allowed us to do is to go back to our roots and be the scrappy, proactive company that does what it takes to get through hard times. We quickly shifted our core business model to provide support to our franchise owners and a resource for people that need to exercise even when social distancing.
“Regardless of the current crisis, GYMGUYZ will continue offering virtual services, and my guess is that similarly, many in the fitness space are identifying new and creative ways to maintain their revenue streams. Exercise is one of the best ways to boost your immune system and cope with stress, which means we’re not going anywhere. On the contrary, I see this time as evolutionary. There is a lot of innovation still to come.”
Buff City Soap opens new unit in Georgia, U.S.A.
Handmade soap retailer, Buff City Soap, has opened its first Georgia-based location at a time when demand for its products continues to rise.
Located on Woodstock Road, the new shop is owned and operated by Stacy Sheffield, a former firefighter paramedic, deputy sheriff and helicopter flight medic. Due to the coronavirus crisis, Sheffield is making sure there are products available for the local community so that the shop can provide curbside pickup, online ordering and delivery.
“After using the plant-based products, and helping out with the opening of the Cape Coral location, I knew I wanted to be a part of this brand and help bring it to new markets,” said Sheffield. “Buff City’s unique product and consumer experience are like nothing else in the industry, and by having my own store, I get to share our passion for high-quality skin products with my community.”
Buff City Soap has recently created a new soap called Birthday Song, which gets its name from the Centers for Disease Control’s recommendation of singing the Happy Birthday Song to yourself twice while washing your hands with warm water to safely clean your hands. For each bar of Birthday Song Soap that is sold, Buff City Soap is donating $1 to local and national COVID-19 relief efforts.
The brand is also in the process of turning all of its 35 locations into distribution centers to service the demand for its products.
Granite and TREND Transformations launches digital design tool for consumers
During these times where health is the utmost priority, U.K.-based kitchen and bathroom renovation specialists, Granite and TREND Transformations, have launched a tool for their franchise partners to promote, which allows their customers to plan their next makeover project.
“Most of our customers have an idea of what they want but they need some guidance with colors, material choices and style options when choosing new worktops, backsplashes and new cabinet doors for their kitchen or bathroom makeover,” said Ann-Marie Jones, head of marketing. “Sometimes these choices can be overwhelming, but our 3D Kitchen and Bathroom design tool takes the guesswork and anxiety out of choosing the right product for our customers’ homes.”
