The Franchise Council of Australia celebrated outstanding business performance at its recent Excellence in Franchising Awards.
Poolwerx took out the award for Australian Established Franchisor of the Year. Category finalists were RAMS Home Loans, Mister Minit, Quest Apartment Hotels, SILK Laser Australia and CouriersPlease.
Nicholas Brill, Poolwerx CEO, highlighted the role the entire pool services team played in its success. “Tonight it’s all about our franchise partners, its all about suppliers, its about all of our people,” he said.
Brill said the win was “extra special” this year, as it is the company’s 30th anniversary.
The Australian Emerging Franchisor of the Year award went to OMI Group, with City Cave and Local Hero Singapore the finalists.
Ven Chin, OMI Group founder, said “We started from zero. After five years, we have 18 outlets and three retail brands. We are honoured that two of our brands were shortlisted in this category tonight.”
The International Franchisor of the Year Award went to business services franchise InXpress.
The FCA 2022 awards included multiple wins for some brands
RAMS Home Loans took out three awards. The brand won Excellence in Franchise Innovation and two franchisees were rewarded for their contributions.
Cheryl Haywood from RAMS (Southern Vales) took out the Single Unit Franchisee of the Year (two or more staff) award and Andrew Erlandson, RAMS (Toowoomba) won the Franchisee Community Responsibility and Contribution award.
Quest Apartment Hotels scored a double win, taking home both the Excellence in Marketing and Franchisor Social Responsibility Awards.
Muffin Break also picked up two wins. Crystal Allen took home the Field Manager of the Year award; Gayle and Des Purdue of Muffin Break (Coolalinga and Gateway Palmerston) won Multi-Unit Franchisee of the Year.
Emma Glazebrook of MBCM Strata Specialists scooped the Franchise Woman of the Year Award.
This year’s Supplier of the Year award went to Geotech Information Services. Category finalists were Retail Doctor Group and GapMaps.
Serge Infanti joins Hall of Fame
Foodco Group executive chairman Serge Infanti this year joined the stellar line-up of franchise leaders in the Hall of Fame.
Serge was ‘born into coffee’ in his parents’ café bar in Italy. He joined Foodco in 1991 and became one of their early franchisees – successfully operating two Jamaica Blue and two Muffin Break cafes.
Foodco has established networks in New Zealand, Malaysia, the UAE, and China and is a major coffee brand in the UK. There are 50 franchisees who have been with the business for more than 10 years, and over 40 franchisees who own multiple stores.
Franchising demonstrated resilience: FCA
The awards celebrated not just high performance, but resilience, said Franchise Council of Australia CEO, Mary Aldred.
“The last two years have represented some of the most difficult economic conditions ever experienced by Australian business. The resilience, adaptability and determination that has been demonstrated by all finalists and winners is truly outstanding.
“We commend each and every hard-working franchisee and franchisor across Australia for their vital contributions to employment, the economy and communities across our country,” she said.
FCA 2022 Excellence in Franchising Awards winners
- Australian Established Franchisor of the Year – Poolwerx
- Australian Emerging Franchisor of the Year – OMI Group
- International Franchisor of the Year – InXpress
- Field Manager of the Year – Crystal Allen, Muffin Break
- Supplier of the Year – Geotech Information Services
- Excellence in Marketing – Quest Apartment Hotels
- Excellence in International Franchising – Boost Juice
- Excellence in Franchise Innovation – RAMS Home Loans
- Franchisor Social Responsibility – Quest Apartment Hotels
- Franchise Woman of the Year – Emma Glazebrook, MBCM Strata Specialists (Shepparton, Echuca & Seymour)
- Multi-Unit Franchisee of the Year – Gayle & Des Purdue, Muffin Break (Coolalinga & Gateway Palmerston)
- Single Unit Franchisee of the Year, two or more staff – Cheryl Haywood, RAMS Home Loans (Southern Vales)
- Single Unit Franchisee of the Year, less than two staff – Kamran Kazmi, PACK & SEND (Hilton)
- Franchisee Community Responsibility and Contribution – Andrew Erlandson, RAMS Home Loans (Toowoomba)
- Franchise Council of Australia Hall of Fame inductee – Serge Infanti, Foodco Group
