• The Forecast is in - Sweet Beginnings is taking Toronto by Storm
  Sweet Beginnings™ is a Vancouver, British Columbia-based Wedding Consulting and Event Planning firm, dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service. They provide professional and knowledgeable consultants to design packages for each client, working with their budget, individual styles and needs.
• MEDIchair Nanaimo Hosts Scooter Safety Course For Seniors
  MEDIchair Nanaimo will host its first ever Mobility Scooter Safety Course on the parking lot of its store at 2517 Bowen Road. In addition to presentations and hands-on demonstrations from safety and industry professionals, participants can test drive scooters and power wheel chairs through a safety course.
• Little Caesars Pizza Reaches Milestone with Innovative Veterans Program
  Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc., today achieved a major milestone with its pioneering Little Caesars Veterans Program. The company is conducting its first three day training class for six U.S. Veterans who have been awarded franchise opportunities in Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, New York and Ohio.
• Marqui Announces Key Franchise Customer Win
  Marqui, Inc., a leading provider of on-demand marketing software, today announced that The Original Basket Boutique, a custom gift basket franchise, has selected the Marqui Marketing Software Suite to automate core marketing and web initiatives for the parent website and all franchisee websites. This latest customer win further illustrates Marqui's ability to deliver a compelling solution to the franchise market. The robust Marqui SaaS suite is tailored to the demands of franchises where seamless scalability is of utmost importance for rapid franchise system expansion.
• Franchise Excellence to Organise World Franchise Forum in Dubai
  Franchise Excellence (FranExcel), backed by franchise executives with more than 50 years combined franchise experience, have been chosen to organize the World Franchise Forum, which will take place in Dubai in May 2008.

The date and venue for this year’s Franchisor Supplier Showcase has been confirmed as Tuesday 30th October at the new Wembley Stadium.

The event, organised by Howarth Franchising, brings together an invited audience of decision-making executives from franchisor organisations and a similarly invited group of presenters and exhibitors who can introduce products and services aimed at improving the businesses of franchisors and their franchisees.

Now in its fourth year, previous events have all been over-subscribed and have been held at venues such as the BMW/WilliamsF1 conference centre and the National Space Centre. Every supplier does a short presentation to the assembled group, then exhibits in the refreshment area to meet delegates during the breaks. There is plenty of time for networking between franchisors, and at the end of the day a private tour of the venue is available for everybody.

As Brian Duckett, managing director of Howarth Franchising, explained, “ The Showcase came about as there was no other sensible forum for bfa affiliates and other suppliers to present the benefits of their products to a group of franchisors. Franchisors don’t like being sold to at Third Wednesday Club meetings or bfa Regional Forums, supplier sections don’t tend to work at franchise exhibitions anywhere in the world, and the exhibitor section at bfa conferences has never really got off the ground. Franchisors have other priorities at all those events - but they know that coming to the Showcase is solely about being introduced to potential suppliers who can help them market their franchise and manage their franchisees.

After all the publicity surrounding its development, the new Wembley Stadium will be top of many people’s lists as a must-see venue - but don’t bother bringing your kit as we cannot have use of the pitch!”.

Previous exhibitors have covered a wide range of business products and services including franchise marketing media, franchisee recruitment services, accounting and franchise management software or outsourced systems, and group printing and regulation compliance services.

Duckett added, “ Suppliers can of course include franchisors whose franchisees should be providing their services to other franchisees. One of the things I would definitely like to encourage, and not just at the Showcase, is much more trade between franchisees of different networks - keeping the money in the franchising family if you like”.