Franchise Daily Digest: April 16

Your daily franchise briefing, keeping you updated on all the latest news and stories from the world of franchising.

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Unity Rd. finds success with franchise brokers

Unity Rd., the cannabis dispensary retail franchise founded in 2018 and seeing increasing demand from trend-savvy entrepreneurs, has partnered with three new franchisees, totalling eight stores in development, thanks to renowned franchise development firm, International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG). This now means that 30 per cent of Unity Rd.’s franchise placements have come from its broker relationships.

“In my long career in franchising, brokers have always played a key role in franchise development,” said Unity Rd. VP of franchise development Justin Livingston. “With the complexity of cannabis franchising, brokers who really understand our unique concept can help move prospective franchisees across the finish line.”

We had the pleasure of speaking with Justin about the cannabis industry and how it’s being impacted by COVID-19. Make sure to check that out here.

Karl Sandall updates TaxAssist Accountants network on support measures

In a video released by TaxAssist Accountants, Karl Sandall, the group chief executive of The TaxAssist Group, updates the group’s franchise network on the support measures that it has rolled out for its franchisees and clients. Sandall also discusses the franchise’s virtual discovery day, which is set to take place on April 21:

Edible Arrangements’ founder and CEO: “The comeback can be stronger than the setback”

Tariq Farid, the founder and CEO of Edible Arrangements, the retail franchise concept offering fruit snacks, dipped treats, and fresh fruit arrangements, has penned an article on LinkedIn promoting optimism in times of crisis.

“This past Easter weekend reminded me of my very first Easter as a small business owner,” writes Farid. “I learned a valuable lesson then that remains as true today as it did over two decades ago – the comeback is always stronger than the setback.”

We sat down with Tariq for an episode of the Global Franchise Podcast back in November 2019, to talk about how small businesses can compete with big tech. Find out more about Tariq’s approach to business leadership here.

Right at Home supports American Red Cross with newly launched fundraising campaign

Right at Home, an in-home care franchise with more than 500 franchise locations in the U.S. and internationally, has created T-shirts with the slogan ‘Because Someone I Love Is a Senior’. For each shirt sold through May 31, 2020, the franchise will donate $5 to the American Red Cross COVID-19 response.

“We recognize that life-saving blood transfusions don’t stop during a crisis, and as we head into severe weather season, the Red Cross disaster relief program is ready to provide assistance to those who will be affected by hurricanes, tornadoes and related events,” said Margaret Haynes, chief operating officer. “We are committed to helping the Red Cross maintain its blood bank supplies and supporting its disaster relief program so they can serve those in need.”

Pizza Pizza introduces tamper-proof boxes for customer peace of mind

Featuring a safety locking mechanism that must be broken by the customer, Pizza Pizza’s new tamper-proof pizza boxes provide recipients with an extra level of assurance that their food is untouched from the moment it leaves the oven to when it arrives at their door.

“Our team has been working tirelessly to adapt to the recent health crisis, so that we can continue to provide safe and secure service to Canadians,” said Paul Goddard, CEO. “We are pleased to be able to offer a packaging solution that will give our customers added confidence in knowing their food is protected and safe.”

RE/MAX Holdings provides operational update to franchise network

RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., one of the largest franchisors in the real estate industry with more than 130,000 agents across 110 countries and territories, has provided an update on the organization’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, and what the group is doing to support its franchisees.

“Although we entered 2020 with momentum, the growing and rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic is increasingly impacting the worldwide housing market and our operations,” said Adam Contos, RE/MAX Holdings CEO. “Factors such as social distancing, governmental stay-at-home orders, variances in whether real estate is designated as an essential service, and growing health and economic concerns are slowing the amount of home buying, selling and borrowing activity typical at this point in the year.”

Tutor Doctor prepares for surge in online tutoring

Tutor Doctor has reported a 120 per cent increase in demand for its online tutoring services in the last week alone. The service, originally introduced in 2018, allows for personalized, one-to-one tuition between students and tutors.

“There’s now a very real concern in many parts of the U.K. over the spread of the virus throughout schools and colleges,” says Frank Milner, president of Tutor Doctor. “Whether it’s continuing to run with the national curriculum or providing specialist revision sessions, the convenience and safety of online sessions is unmistakable.”
We started off 2020 by speaking with Frank Milner about the Tutor Doctor franchise offering for the Global Franchise Podcast, and discussed the ways in which he strives to help franchisees achieve their goals. Make sure to check that out here.