Fast-food chain Jack in the Box Inc. on Friday said it plans to continue to expand franchise operations and open more Jack in the Box and Qdoba brands in fiscal 2008.

The company plans to sell 100 to 120 Jack in the Box restaurants to franchisees in fiscal 2008 for gains of $45 million to $48 million.

It also expects to open 35 to 45 new Jack in the Box restaurants, including 13 to 17 franchised locations and 75 to 90 new Qdoba restaurants, including 60 to 70 franchised locations. (more…)

Navis Pack & Ship has opened its second location in Florida to serve the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood metro area south to the Miami-Dade County line. Three other new Navis Pack & Ship units will open by the end of the year in Northern California, Southern California and Toronto, as Navis continues its aggressive drive to complete a network of 260 locations across the United States and 30 in Canada in four years. (more…)

Mike Callaway, General Manager of the new COLLEGE HUNKS HAULING JUNK San Francisco franchise, started his career as a lowly Wingman for the company’s original operation in Washington, DC and now has driven the service vehicle across the country to open the West Coast operation. In his first year as an employee, sales hit $225,000. By his second year, they had quadrupled to $1.1 million. Callaway climbed the ranks as Truck Captain, Assistant Manager, and now has headed west to stake his claim as the General of the first West-coast operation. (more…)

FETCH! Pet Care, America’s largest and most sophisticated pet care franchise offering professional pet sitting and dog walking services, today announced it has launched a new location in California’s Woodland Hills region to provide area residents with unsurpassed pet care services. This new franchise marks the 126th FETCH! Pet Care location that, in aggregate, now service more than 9,400 active clients throughout 1,400 cities and towns in 31 states across the U.S. (more…)

As the war for talent escalates, the need for high-performing search consultants to help companies manage their talent acquisition needs is growing exponentially. Those fortunate enough to have an established search firm such as SearchPath International are experiencing one of the best markets in recent history. If considering opening a firm, the timing could not be better. It is a great time to be a search consultant.

There are three traditional avenues available to those in the industry or considering entering search. The first is to work for an established firm. Due the high demand for services, most organizations within the staffing and recruiting industry are aggressively hiring talent. This option is how most people begin their careers in Talent Acquisition. (more…)

Yogen Fruz USA Inc. is pleased to announce that the Company has completed a Master Franchise Agreement with Freezer Products LLC, for the State of Illinois, U.S.A. This agreement helps facilitate the rapid expansion of Yogen Früz outlets across the American Midwest. The city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs comprise the third largest metropolitan area in the United States.

“We look forward to expanding our Yogen Früz brand into the heart of the American Midwest”, said Aaron Serruya, President. “We have entered into the Illinois agreement with a strong partner in order to quickly penetrate the territory”. The agreement strengthens our commitment to U.S. expansion and this growth continues to validate Yogen Früz brand leadership in the frozen yogurt category around the world”. (more…)

For the second year in a row, Business Advisers International (BAI) has been selected by Franchise Market Magazine as one of the “Top 100 New Franchises for 2007,” a list that includes the most successful franchise concepts introduced since 2000. This acknowledgement follows Entrepreneur Magazine citing BAI as one of the “Top 50 New Franchises for 2007.”

“BAI has become the industry’s premier source for business coaching and advisory services,” says Terry Powell, CEO of FranchisESource Brands International, a multi-brand franchisor principally engaged in growing solid concepts into major international franchise brands. “We’ve built up an extensive track record of success in helping small-to-mid size companies and their owners overcome their core business challenges. Our AdviCoaches® address the needs of businesses and their owners by uniquely supporting them as a coach and an advisor,” he added. (more…)

As the franchise boom dies, disputes are breaking out as franchises become tougher to manage. So how to avoid the problems that can bring apparently successful operations unstuck?

The past decade has been very kind to the franchising industry. The sector now represents 14% of the nation’s economy. But growth in franchise chains is slowing, as consumer confidence has moderated and the sector is competing with the booming mining and construction industries for franchisees and employees.

Tougher times mean franchisors have to be better operators to make money and grow. And it is more important than ever that franchise chains don’t make mistakes. Mistakes in franchising can lead to disharmony within the franchise system, disputes, loss of reputation, and business failure.

You do not have to look any further than the well-publicised disputes in the Midas car care chain and the Bakers Delight systems to see how problems in the ranks can trouble successful businesses. (more…)

Something bothered Ken Kimble as he searched the Daytona Beach area for a small business to buy: The financial performance figures would-be sellers were providing sounded great, but they could not be verified.

“There was no real proof of what they were claiming,” he said.

Starting a business from scratch seemed like a bad choice, too. Despite his eagerness to go out on his own and work hard, Kimble, 28, did not have a specialty to build on. “We didn’t have any unique thing to offer,” he said of himself and his father-in-law, Jerry Janaro, who was bankrolling him. (more…)

Pacific Bagels, LLC celebrated the grand opening of the newest Bruegger's bakery-cafe in Chula Vista. The Pacific Bagels franchise group, led by principal Stanley Smiedt, opened the new bakery at 2322 Proctor Valley Road. The Chula Vista bakery marks the first Bruegger’s bakery to open in Chula Vista and brings the total of San Diego-area bakeries to ten.

The bakery brings approximately 20 new jobs to San Diego County and has indoor seating for approximately 26 guests. This location features Bruegger’s updated bakery-cafe design incorporating a soft color scheme, emphasizing natural textures and warm tones balanced with bright colors to make an inviting space for guests. The new bakery also features unlimited free wireless Internet access and an outdoor patio with provided seating for up to 30 guests. (more…)

Five Star Painting Inc, a leading painting franchise system today announced a partnership with Painter Ready, a leading commercial painting franchise system.

The strong fit between the two companies led to the joining of Five Star Painting and Painter Ready with respect to meeting the growing demand of its clients across North America. Finding reliable painters that respond in a timely manner has been a common challenge in the industry. This partnership will see franchisees from both systems working together to deliver a quality service in a time sensitive fashion and on budget. (more…)

The Butterfly Life franchise in Murphy, NC was recently awarded Best Gym in the city. The poll, put on by The Cherokee Scout, allowed readers to vote for Best Gym/Fitness Trainer for the month of September. Other competitors in this category included Curves, who came in second, the Hiwassee Valley Pool and the Wellness Center in the area. When the results came in Butterfly Life was awarded first place for Best Gym. (more…)

Are you meant to be a franchisee? Are you really cut out for all that's entailed? Here are some traits that you should have as a franchisee.

First, you should be willing to conform. When buying into a franchise you are buying a business plan and strict directions on how to run the business. If you have a tendency to incorporate your own ideas into a project, I do not recommend franchising for you. If you are an entrepreneur who doesn’t like to follow someone else’s direction, get out now. (more…)

Blue Moon Mexican Cafe, a popular metro New York area Mexican eatery, today announced the launch of a newly developed website that is an improved representation of the restaurant chain and includes a new section designed to attract potential franchisees.

As a part of a strategic initiative to expand the brand, the website features a comprehensive franchise section with a different twist on traditional franchise approaches. The section features Blue Moon Mexican Café CEO and founder Howard Felixbrod explaining the characteristics franchisees should posses to be successful and the story of how he started in the restaurant business 25 years ago. (more…)

Wild Birds Unlimited, the original and largest franchise system of backyard birdfeeding and nature specialty stores, announced the re-launch of its online store today. Now, birdfeeding enthusiasts can purchase nature and hobby related products anytime, day or night.

Dedicated to “bringing people and nature together,” the new Wild Birds Unlimited Online Store boasts an inventory of more than 160 birdfeeding products, including the freshest seed blends and suet, birdfeeders and houses, birdfeeding station hardware, binoculars, bird identification guides and other birdfeeding accessories. (more…)

Recording artist Earl Stevens, best known as E-40, has signed a franchise agreement with Wingstop Restaurants, Inc. to open a restaurant in Benicia, Calif.

Known for his distinctive voice and rapid lyrical delivery, Stevens has released 12 albums in the past 15 years including three gold albums and one platinum. His latest album, My Ghetto Report Card, features two of E-40’s most well-known singles, “Tell Me When to Go” and “U and Dat.” (more…)

Young franchisor, Decor&You, Inc., will begin its tenth year with a powerful new franchise product, a new, stylized online communications platform, and an expanding team of award-winning decorators in nearly 30 states, announced CEO Karen Powell at the company’s recent national conference in Connecticut.

Decor&You exceeded franchise sales projections in 2007, within just ten months, on a new multi-unit, territory model first offered in January. The model relies on a single franchisee who directs development and recruits experienced designers. New territories operate in California, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, Texas, and Virginia. (more…)

Campero USA today announced an exciting new tenant /landlord relationship with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. This U.S. division of Pollo Campero, the largest Latin American chicken restaurant chain, is eager to please millions of Wal-Mart customers with Pollo Campero restaurants beginning in 2008.

“We are extremely excited about the relationship between Campero and Wal-Mart,” said Roberto Denegri, president and COO, Campero USA. “People love our chicken once they taste it. The relationship with Wal-Mart gives us an unprecedented opportunity for a wide variety of people to indulge in our distinctive menu.” (more…)

For residents of Crown Point, Saint John, Merrillville, Munster, Highland, Hobart and Dyer, there is now one less thing to worry about. MaidPro of Crown Point is now open for business and ready to handle the dirty work.

Franchise owner Yohanni Hedges looks forward to offering premium housecleaning services to her neighbors. “With two small children at home and a full-time job, I know how difficult it can be to find time to clean. At MaidPro, we focus on housecleaning so our clients can enjoy more free time.” (more…)

The thought of the business loan application process may be overwhelming, however, more than likely you will have to get assistance to start up your franchise. Here are some tips on the process.

The first step you want to take is seeing if you can get a loan with a commercial lending institution. Do some research on the different institutions to see which one gives the best deal. You want to look for a loan that has low interest, little or no fees, and that matures over a long period of time. The best way to choose this lending institution is by going with a familiar one such as the one you have a savings or checking account with. When you meet with these people make sure you have a solid business plan put together and have your finances in order. If your application gets turned down, the next step would be to go to the SBA. (more…)