New franchise awards for familiar brands

Congratulations to the finalists and winners in the Franchise Council of Australia's inaugural Franchise Industry Awards held in Sydney on Wednesday last week. Several Kiwis attended the event, including FANZ CEO Katrina King and FANZ Board member Greg Paget. Our own Raghu Rajakumar and Dhanush Ganglani from edenX were also in attendance, cheering on many of their colleagues and customers from the Australian franchise sector. 

The well-attended awards ceremony was preceded by a full day Franchise Forum that Katrina said added real value to the awards, focusing on "Franchising for a Thriving Future" and including insights, networking, and discussions about the future of franchising. 

We were especially pleased to see Dr Jan Timms of Get Smart Services receive one of the major awards for most Outstanding Contribution by an Individual to Franchising. The Winter issue of Franchise New Zealand features an article by Jan based on the book created from her PhD research in the Australasian franchise sector. You can read Jan's article, titled "Is Your Franchise System Holding You Back?" in the digital magazine here.

Some of the franchise brands highlighted in the awards will also be familiar to our readers in New Zealand. Sally and Steve Kacsics of Muffin Break Toormina (NSW) received the overall Single Unit Franchisee of the Year award and Catherine Holloway of Muffin Break’s franchisor company Foodco was recognised as Franchise Field Manager of the Year. Jason Robson of Bakers Delight took out the Franchise Manager of the Year award and Quest Apartment Hotels received the Community award for Franchisor Excellence in Equality, Sustainability and Governance.

Rounding out the major awards were brands less familiar in New Zealand - the overall Multi-Unit Franchisee of the Year was Charles Batt from Mail Boxes Etc, and Franchisor of the Year was Nurse Next Door Home Care Services.

Fitness franchises were successful in many award categories, with Body Fit Training (BFT) awarded Australian International Franchisor of the Year (sponsored by Geotech Information Services). From brands more well-known in New Zealand, franchisees from Jetts and Snap Fitness received single-unit and multi-unit franchisee awards and the FCA’s prestigious Franchise Woman of the Year award was presented to a multi-unit Plus Fitness franchisee, Caitlin Macumber.