Nguyen Tuan, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and TradePromotion Centre (ITPC), told the ‘Start your own business with franchisemodel’ seminar in the city last week: “With its positive economic growth ratelast year and a population of nearly 100 million, the future of franchising lookspromising in Vietnam.”
Tuan said, “Besides bringing huge benefits to franchisors, the model alsominimises the risk to franchisees.”
According to the International Franchise Association, Vietnam has become anattractive franchising destination, especially in sectors like food andbeverages, education, health and nutrition, business services, hospitality,fashion, beauty and skin care, entertainment, and convenience stores.
Nguyen Phi Van, founder and chairwoman of Retail and Franchise Asia and founderand executive member of World Franchise Associates, said the franchisingindustry contributes 5-10 percent of GDP in countries where it is developed.
In the US, where it originated, the figure is 5.1 percent, and it is 10 percentin Canada, 9 percent in Australia and 9.7 percent in South Africa, she said.
In Asia, franchising is strongest in the Republic of Korea (7.8 percent ofGDP), followed by Malaysia (6.3 percent), the Philippines (5 percent) andSingapore (3 percent).
In Malaysia it has been chosen by the government as a long-term strategy todevelop SMEs -- by exporting business models and brands instead of exportinggoods, Van said.
After the pandemic passes, franchising has the potential to develop strongly,she said.
But, to be successful, franchisees need to make sure they have good businessplans and management, she said.
Vietnamese franchisees invest a lot of money to buy a franchise but not tobuild a management team to run it, she revealed.
To have a sustainable model, businesses must focus on brands and the businessmodel, the operating platform, personnel training, supply chain, and technologyplatform, she added.
In Vietnam, well-established franchisees include Trung Nguyen Coffee, Pho 24,T&T, Cafe Bobby Brewers, Kinh Do Bakery, Wrap and Roll, Café Cong, AQ Silk,Shop and Go, and Highland’s Coffee.
The seminar was organised by the HCM City Investment and Trade PromotionCentre./.