In The News

There are early signs of stabilisation after two especially tough years for retail and hospitality businesses in New Zealand's central business districts

McDonald’s was in the international news recently as President Donald Trump received delivery of his favourite meal to highlight his new “no tax on tips” policy, but earlier this month McDonald’s NZ had its turn in the global spotlight with the McMullet promotion

In a bid to reduce uncertainty, a recent survey of franchisors reveals specific impacts of rising fuel costs on the businesses of New Zealand franchisees and their franchise systems. We compare this data with other New Zealand surveys and outlook statements released in the ninth and tenth weeks of the conflict in the Middle East.

We look beyond the current economic woes to reveal what readers are concentrating on as they research franchising and franchise networks

Do recent IRD statistics on 'self-employment' income levels tell the whole story?

For the first time in over a decade, Kiwis can attend a national Franchise & Small Business Expo to explore the future of work and business

An Australian survey finds franchises have better revenue performance than the average non-franchised SME, with more forward planning enabling them to ride out financial crises

An AU$29 million payout for up to 90,000 current and former KFC workers sets a precedent for other franchises in Australia. New Zealand operates under a similar legal framework for paid breaks for employees.

March 2026 - What Genki’s global backing for the Australian QSR brand could mean for New Zealand franchisees

A show of unity has emerged among U.S. franchisees of McDonald’s, with a long-running annual survey revealing unanimous opposition to newly introduced franchising standards

The 2026 Franchising Outlook survey found higher confidence levels in general business conditions and system growth prospects, although a shortage of suitable franchisees is once again the top challenge faced by the majority of franchise systems

Well-established B2B franchise brand EmbroidMe will officially rebrand as Fully Promoted in March 2026, marking the next stage in the evolution of the network’s business model.

The first 2026 Economic Overview published by Westpac remains quietly confident of further economic and business improvements over the coming year

5 February 2026

The company co-founded by Greg Nathan and Luis Nejo to expand the reach and application of the original Nathan Profiler franchise recruitment tool has been sold to Operandio

Stewart Germann of Stewart Germann Law Office has been named an Officer in the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year 2026 Honours list, for his services to franchise law

A series of encouraging reports throughout November and December of 2025 and the start of January 2026 suggest that the New Zealand economy is starting to pick up faster than originally predicted

Three quiet heroes have been honoured for their contributions to franchising

December 2025 - Continuing  a festive season tradition, KidsCan and The Coffee Club have announced the young winners of their Christmas Cup design competition

New developments emerge as previously banned director and franchise 'consultant' Campbell Spencer returns to public attention.

Highly-respected franchise banker Dean Madsen is facing a new challenge – swimming across Lake Taupō to raise funds for Parkinson’s New Zealand

The Body Shop, the ethical cosmetics brand founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick, is staging a comeback - and this time it will be sub-franchised in New Zealand

Younger, more diverse buyers are increasingly entering the market as older owners step aside.

The stars of New Zealand’s franchise community came out to shine in the 30th annual Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards. We feature the winning results including two new Supreme title holders.

OCR Cut to 2.5%

Prominent franchise specialist lawyer and notary Stewart Germann has been internationally recognised for his outstanding contribution to the notarial profession.

New Zealand's employment landscape has undergone significant legislative changes in 2025, impacting franchised business and employees nationwide.  

In a development with major implications for franchise governance and competition law in Aotearoa, the Commerce Commission has filed civil proceedings accusing Harcourts’ Christchurch franchise network of engaging in cartel conduct. 

The co-founder of Ben & Jerry's resigned last week from his position as brand ambassador, saying that the franchise has been silenced by its corporate owners

Featuring photographs and research acquired through field work in over 50 countries, Gary He's new book shows how franchises like McDonald's must adapt to survive as they expand globally.

19 September 2025 – The 30th Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards name the best performers in the business. This year’s finalists are …

Auckland Council grants consent for a stand-alone new drive-thru McDonald's restaurant on a corner site off Broadway

Westpac and other major banks cut interest rates again after this week's OCR drop, with likely further cuts ahead

August 2025 – The latest Westpac Economic Overview tries to answer New Zealand's big question - "Are we there yet?"

Retailers, hospitality providers and service providers across the breadth of the franchise sector will be faced with a hard choice when the proposed surcharge ban is implemented in May 2026. Will the ban affect the ability for franchisees to recoup costs when making across the counter sales, or drive more shoppers online if prices have to rise in-store? Do the changes address the root cause of the problems inherent in credit surcharges? 

Read more at https://www.nzherald.co.nz/...

July 2025 – The latest global ranking of countries by franchise potential shows New Zealand in a top position, out-performing other APAC countries like Singapore and Australia. Why and how?

The FANZ inaugural Franchise Legal Symposium will be held prior to New Zealand's internationally lauded National Franchise Conference, which in 2025 is taking place in Hamilton from 3-5 August.

Life-work balance is now considered the number-one motivator for employees all over the world, with workplace flexibility outranking salary in importance in a recent survey of thousands of international workers. Remote’s annual Global Life-Work Balance Index reveals the best and worst countries for life-work balance around the world - with New Zealand topping the list for the third consecutive year.

Winners from the inaugural Franchise Industry Awards held in Sydney, Australia