The Portuguese Franchising Association's 2022 Franchising Awards distinguished the best brands in the industry in their various categories. Among the winners, who will now compete for the European Franchising Awards, to be presented in September, Remax stands out, having won the Super Master category.
Lisbon, May 20, 2022 - The Portuguese Franchising Association (APF) today awarded the best brands in the industry in Portugal with the Franchising 2022 Awards. In a ceremony held at the Cascais Cultural Center, the APF distinguished the performance of companies in various segments.
Remax was the big winner, winning the Super Master Franchisor of the Year category and also an Honorable Mention for Resilience. The same distinction went to MaxFinance, UNU, Urban Orbas and Melom. The latter also won first place in International Brand and second place in Franchisor of the Year (Master category), while third place in the same category was won by MaxFinance.
Fitness Factory stands out with two first prizes: Franchisor of the Year (Young category) and Resilience. House Shine won the Full Franchisor of the Year category and came second in Resilience, while Best Travel came first in the Master Franchisor of the Year category and third in Resilience.
Second place in the Young Franchisor of the Year award went to UNU and third to Luzzo. The latter was also the winner of the Franchisee of the Year Award, while the Emerging Franchisee Award went to Harab's.
”It is with great satisfaction that we distinguish the winning brands of the Franchising Awards 2022 for their professionalism and entrepreneurship in a context of uncertainty and adaptation to a new reality,” says the Franchising Awards 2022. APF Secretary General and CEO, Cristina Matos. “The awards value the best that brands, franchisors and franchisees do and stimulate the growth of franchising as a pillar of entrepreneurship, job creation and economic development.”, he adds.
Ten companies from different sectors of activity competed for the Franchising 2022 Awards - which distinguish brands operating in the franchise market in Portugal for their best management practices in franchising.
The rankings were arrived at after an ad hoc weighting between a survey of franchise networks, franchisees and employees and an assessment by an independent jury. The categories vary according to the number of franchisees, units franchised and number of years as a franchisor, while performance is assessed in its global, economic, operational, relationship and sensitivity dimensions.
Turnover, units, differentiation, international presence, support for franchisees, training and integration, brand differentiation, organizational culture and the relationship between franchisors and franchisees are some of the criteria assessed in the APF Franchising Awards 2022.
This year's awards included a special Resilience category, in which brands were judged on the impact of Covid-19 on their business and the way they dealt with the problem and support for franchisees and what set them apart during the pandemic.
Most of the winners of the APF's first Seals of Excellence, awarded during the 25th edition of Expofranchise in March, competed for the Portuguese Franchising Association's 2022 Franchising Awards, and the front-runners will compete for the European Franchise Federation's awards at a ceremony in Brussels in September.
In 2020, the franchising sector recorded 159 openings, a figure which, despite being a decrease compared to the previous year, is surprising and demonstrates a positive trend. In 2019, franchising represented 30,000 companies and almost 200,000 jobs, spread across 557 brands, which generated a turnover of 11 billion euros. In this period it represented 5.8% of GDP.
“Franchising offers franchisees a business model that encompasses know-how, procedures, intellectual property, provides support at the time of implementation and allows for strong brand recognition. The process associated with the sector helps to reduce the risk associated with starting a new business operation.”, points out Cristina Matos.
About APF - Portuguese Franchising Association
The APF - Portuguese Franchising Association is a private non-profit association, founded in 1987.
Its main mission is the study, dissemination and promotion of franchising in Portugal as a business development system and as a solution for the creation and expansion of SMEs in the domestic and international markets. It intends to actively contribute to the dynamization of entrepreneurship in Portugal and the creation of business through the franchising system.
Additional information at www.associacaofranchising.pt