Franchise show seen to generate P50B worth of business

MANILA, Philippines - The more than 500 brands to be showcased at the forthcoming Franchise Asia 2011 International Expo are expected to generate some P50 billion worth of business over the next five years in the Philippines alone.

Expo organizer Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) based the projection on the 650 million consumer market of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the region comprising 10 of Asia’s emerging economies, including the Philippines.

Franchise Asia 2011 chairman Bing Sibal-Limjoco said the event would serve as the gateway for international brands to enter the ASEAN market through the Philippines, thus affirming the country’s position as the “Franchise Hub of Asia.”

“The Philippines’ hosting of Franchise Asia 2011 will once again highlight the country as an investment and tourism destination, providing the best opportunity to showcase the best that we can offer to the world,” Limjoco said.

With its theme “Asia to the World · The World to Asia”, Franchise Asia 2011 International Expo is slated at the SMX Convention Center on Sept. 23-25, providing three-days of non-stop one-stop shopping for franchise investment opportunities in retail, food and service businesses – spanning all fields from homegrown to international, and from established and successful brands to new and promising franchise concepts. 

With 10,000 square meters of exhibit space, the expo will cover all four halls of the SMX and feature over 500 booths of varied investment options. Special admission rates await those who will register on-line at www.franchiseasia2011.com.ph.

“These (diversity and magnitude) differentiate our international expo from other exhibitions. We will have the biggest showcase of international brands as the expo will feature country pavilions from the US, Europe and Asian countries,” Limjoco said.  

To be featured in the International Zone are Smoothie King, Buffalo Wild Wing, LA-Z-BOY, Funivac, Sweet Chills, Math Monkey, World Traveller, Bratwurst Cafe & Grill, The Manhattan Fish Market, Kindergolf, Apple Plus School, and Animaland, among others. 

To complement the International Zone are special sections on the best of the brands, emerging concepts, incubation and winning business ideas from the academe, and business opportunities from suppliers and allied services.

Co-presented by PLDT SME Nation and PLDT Alpha Enterprise, Franchise Asia 2011 is seen as this year’s biggest and most important event in Asia as it brings together four events in one expo.

Aside from the International Expo, Franchise Asia 2011 includes the prestigious international meetings of the World Franchise Council and Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation, the International Conference, and the Franchise Seminars.

Designed for would-be franchisors, franchisees and international master franchisees, the seminars will also serve as a forum for business matching between franchisors and franchisees.

The seminars include International Franchise Opportuniy (on Sept. 24) for local investors who want to become master franchisees, area developers or partners of foreign brands, How to Franchise your Business (Sept. 24-25) for would-be franchisors or micro, small or medium enterprise owners who want to expand their businesses through franchising, and Investing in a Franchise Wisely (Sept. 24-25) for would-be franchisees. 

For more information, visit www.franchiseasia2011.com.ph or www.pfa.org.ph and register on-line for special admission rates, or contact the PFA secretariat (tel: (02) 687-0365 to 67; (02) 798-2543; 0917-8320731, or e-mail [email protected]).