Revealed! UK is the fourth most popular country to start a franchise

Prospects most interested in starting a fast-food franchise, also finds new study

Many businesses have been forced to close as the world attempts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, many franchise business owners have managed to keep their head above water and even flourished, where their independent competitors have struggled.

So, what are the most popular franchise brands for budding business owners, and what makes this style of business ownership so appealing, especially in a post-pandemic landscape?

Data analysts at PACK & SEND, a technology-driven logistics enterprise with franchises across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, used Google search data to identify the most popular franchise businesses around the world. They also investigated which country’s residents are most interested in taking on this unique style of business.

The study revealed McDonald’s as the most searched franchise business in the world, taking the top spot in 78 of the 97 countries analysed. And it’s no wonder, with the fast-food giant operating over 38,000 restaurants worldwide – 93 per cent of which are owned and managed by franchisees. This comes despite research suggesting a significant up-front investment of between $1-2.2m is required to open a McDonald’s franchise business – likely ruling the opportunity out for many prospective franchisees.

KFC came in second place, topping the table as the most-Googled franchise business in nine countries, including Luxembourg, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Other popular franchise opportunities included Burger King (in Namibia, Turkey, The Central African Republic, and Estonia), Dominos (in Bulgaria and Kazakhstan), Jollibee (in Japan and The Philippines), Hardees (in Mongolia), and Tim Hortons (in Canada).

In each country, the most-searched brand was a fast-food chain. The dominance of the food industry in the franchise business space is likely due to the mainstream popularity of these brands. Prospective franchisees assume they are guaranteed success simply by riding the coattails of the global reputation of impressive brand names.

The study also found that residents of Australia are the most interested in starting a franchise business, performing 129 related searches per capita (per 100 thousand people) – a total of 32,830 Google searches in the last year. This demand for franchise support in Australia is unsurprising, given that 60 per cent of the nation’s SMEs fail within just three years. However, unlike the risks associated with start-up businesses, franchising allows people to achieve their dream of owning a business with the security of a proven business model providing a tried and tested formula for success.

South Africa takes second place in the list of countries most interested in starting a franchise business, performing 92 searches per capita and totalling 54,380 searches.

Ireland, the UK, and the US complete the top 5 spots, with 83, 74, and 63 searches per 100,000 people respectively.

When considering raw search volume, Americans performed the most Google searches for franchise business terms, with a total of 208,290 searches in just 12 months.

The impact of the pandemic – and resulting restrictions – has seen the International Labour Organisation predict at least 220 million people worldwide will remain out of work this year.

So, for those looking for a money-making venture that allows them to take their career into their own hands, now could be the perfect time to consider owning a franchise. Especially with the global economy set to see the fastest recession recovery in 80 years, and the UK economy continuing to grow month-on-month as restrictions ease.

Mike Ryan, UK CEO of PACK & SEND said: “It’s interesting to see the fast-food industry currently dominating the world’s Google searches when it comes to hunting for franchise opportunities. This is likely due to the seemingly universal and accessible nature of fast food and takeaways.

“However, there is a huge variety of franchise opportunities available worldwide, and it pays to make a decision that makes business sense and also fits the skills and passions of the franchisee.

“It’s unsurprising to see the global popularity of franchise opportunities, though. When starting a new business, the support of an established franchisor can be a real advantage over competitors. At PACK & SEND, our franchisees are one of our best assets, and we offer an unrivalled programme to give them the best chance of success.”