GENERAL SESSION / TUESDAY / 17 JULY 2018 / 9:00 AM

So You Think You’re Ready to Franchise?

This session features three emerging restaurant brands that have either barely dipped their toes into the franchise pool or on the verge of diving in. They’ll tell attendees, along with a panel of expert franchise advisers, why they think their concept is franchise-worthy.

The experts will give feedback on the concepts’ franchise models and give advice on how to help them succeed.

PRESENTERS

Shane Chorley | Co-Founder & Director | Chorley’s Sauces & Chorley’s Restaurant

Shane Chorley turned his back on a career in finance to pursue a passion and belief in a table sauce recipe that had been created during his family’s time in Zimbabwe. The brand is now known (simply) as Chorley’s. Chorley’s have increased their portfolio from just the one sauce at inception to a range of five with more in development, three South African inspired meat products (two dried and one fresh) and, most recently, the first Chorley’s Grill and Takeaway opened late 2016. Motivated and inspired by the success of brands like Nando’s, Chorley’s delivers a range of internationally inspired dishes that tell the family’s story.

Mika “Pikkis” Tuomonen | The Burgermeister | Social Burgerjoint

For 15 years, Mika “Pikkis” Tuomonen worked as IT expert for companies such as IBM and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. In 2012, Tuomonen pursued his dream of becoming a professional foodie and entered the televised MasterChef Finland competition, which he won. Victory gave Tuomonen the encouragement and connections to develop a new fast casual concept, Social Burgerjoint. At its heart is the tastiest possible premium burger, made out of high-quality, responsibly produced ingredients and cooked in a sizzling hot mibrasa oven. In 2016, Tuomonen joined forces with chef Herkko Volanen. In the same year, the first Social Burgerjoint restaurant was opened in Helsinki, Finland.

Herkko Volanen | Commander-in-Beef | Social Burgerjoint

In 2016, Mika “Pikkis” Tuomonen joined forces with chef Herkko Volanen who has 30+ years of experience in the restaurant industry. In the same year, the first Social Burgerjoint restaurant was opened in Helsinki, Finland. It soon gained popularity and was voted the best burgerjoint in town. In 2017, Social Burgerjoint was acquired by the Finnish Kotipizza Group which specializes in developing fast casual concepts and building restaurant chains based on the franchising model. The Group now aims to expand Social Burgerjoint into a nationwide chain. Three more restaurants are currently in the works for 2018, and by 2020, the chain is planned to have 20 locations across Finland.

George Workman | Managing Director | FIZZ!

Speaker bio coming soon!

ADVISERS

Christopher Brinkley | Director, Investor Relations | World Franchise Associates

Founder member of World Franchise Associates. His franchise experience goes back to 1996 in staging the UK’s National Franchise Exhibitions over 4 years. As well as directing WFA’s own international franchise events, he is Director of Investor Relations to support the Company’s growing portfolio of international Brands in Europe, the MENA Region, Asia, Latin America and the Far East. Currently working with the SMEA franchise program in Saudi Arabia.

Jonathan Doughty | Global Head of Foodservice | ECE

Jonathan Doughty is Global Head of Foodservice at ECE. He is responsible for leading ECE’s global food and beverage activities, for existing and new projects as well as the key relationships with the ECE food and beverage partners and tenants. In November 2017 he launched the “We Love Food” programme across the business. Jonathan actively participates in the concept development of foodservice with our investors, partners and the varied stakeholders in the ECE business and our properties. During his 40 years in the foodservice industry, Jonathan has operated around the world extensively in the hotel and restaurant industry, before starting the innovative foodservice consultancy, “Coverpoint”.

Brian Duckett | Chairman | The Franchising Centre

Brian Duckett has spent forty years in franchising as a franchisee, franchisor and advisor to potential and practising franchisors, including ten years as a British Franchise Association board member. He is chairman of The Franchising Centre which is Europe’s leading firm of franchise development and recruitment consultants with twenty UK-based franchise practitioners and associated consultants and brokers in more than sixty countries.

session sponsor