Card Connection Franchise News

May 21, 2012 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced its franchisee for Leeds, Brian Spilman, has extended his territory to include Burnley, Blackburn, Preston and Blackpool. This major expansion, which effectively doubles the size of his franchise region, now sees Brian Spilman and his team supplying Card Connection’s extensive range of quality greeting cards and gifts to 270 stores in the North West.
Card Connection’s franchisees hand pick and deliver greeting cards from a range of 1,500 innovative designs including: Santé, humour, handmade and special occasions cards. Using a proven system, franchisees place greeting card ranges in retail outlets on a ‘consignment’ basis...

May 14, 2012 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has named Irish franchisee, Gabriel McGeown, as the winner of its ‘Franchisee of the Year’ award for the second year running at its annual company conference, held this year in Cheltenham. Gabriel McGeown who joined Card Connection in 2008 originally managed Armagh, South Tyrone and part of County Down but has recently expanded his franchise territory to include County Antrim, Belfast and the North Down region of Ireland.
“Gabriel McGeown is an outstanding performer,” explains Michael Johnson, Managing Director, Card Connection. “His ‘can do’ attitude ensures he approaches every opportunity positively...

May 04, 2012 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has announced new franchisee, Ratna Sivaganesh, has taken over the Aylesbury and Amersham territory. Ratna Sivaganesh who now runs the franchise with his wife, supplies Card Connection’s extensive range of quality greeting cards and gifts to around 160 retailers in the region.
“We are delighted that Ratna Sivaganesh has decided to take advantage of the important business opportunity that owning a Card Connection franchise provides,” confirms Michael Johnson, managing director at Card Connection. “Ratna’s previous experience as a Spar supermarket manager makes him ideally placed to run a successful franchise, as he understands the needs of consumers and can bring this knowledge to a range of retail outlets, to help them optimise the sales of greeting cards...

April 04, 2012 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced its Franchisee of the Year for 2011, Gabriel McGeown, has expanded his franchise territory to include County Antrim, Belfast and North Down. McGeown who joined Card Connection in 2008, now supplies Card Connection’s extensive range of more than 1,500 quality greeting cards and gifts to more than 200 retail stores in Northern Ireland.
McGeown who was recognised for his ‘outstanding commitment’ as a Card Connection franchisee at the company’s annual conference last year, has also expanded his team and now works alongside one part-time and three full-time staff members. “I have recently invested in another vehicle too,” explains Gabriel McGeown, Card Connection franchisee...

March 21, 2012 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced it has recruited new franchisees Richard and Gargi Sequeira to run the company’s North London and Harrow franchise territory. The couple will now deliver greetings cards and gifts from more than 1,500 designs created by Card Connection, to retail outlets within their area.
“We chose Card Connection because of its leading position in this industry,” confirms Richard Sequeira. “We were impressed by the established nature of the company, its operations and extensive range of high-quality products. In addition, Card Connection has a strong network of national retail accounts to ensure our business had customers from day one...

March 07, 2012 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced the launch of its new 2012 Santé and Santé Gesture designs. With spring on the way, the well-timed Santé blank designs are all photographic, incorporating a mixture of wildlife and floral imagery.
“The new photographic cards feature perky pigs and cheerful tulips,” confirms Kelly Courtenay, senior creative manager, Card Connection. Other designs featuring a pair of elephants in the wild, a cute mouse and some adorable ducklings are sure to give our franchisees a spring in their step as they deliver these premium cards to retailers across the UK.
“In addition, we are also releasing three Santé Gesture designs all with birthday captions and various finishes, including scenic a harbour view, a quirky lettering design and some ‘on trend’ pattern” continues Courtenay...

February 22, 2012 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced new opportunities in the South of England to own and run an award winning Card Connection franchise. The company is now looking to recruit new franchisees to deliver and merchandise Card Connection’s extensive range of more than 1,500 quality greeting cards and gifts to retailers in several territories across the South.
“We have 70 franchisees in the UK and, as an established franchise organisation of almost 20 years, no new territories are available. However, due to retirement or personal reasons occasionally a franchise area comes up for sale,” explains Andrew Cutler, sales and franchise director, Card Connection...

February 10, 2012 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has announced today that Latif Twigeri, franchisee for the Farnham and surrounding area, has expanded his territory to include Kingston and Sutton. Latif Twigeri, who has been a Card Connection franchisee for eight years, now supplies more than 500 retail outlets with Card Connection’s extensive, range of quality cards and gifts.
“The Card Connection franchise is a very good business,” confirms Twigeri. “However, we always need to be planning ahead for expansion and development. I have grown my team and now work alongside two full time merchandisers and a part-time packer. These days, I occupy a more managerial role and my time is divided between opening new retail accounts, visiting high-value customers, improving the displays to help retailers and any troubleshooting that is necessary along with office administration...

January 20, 2012 // Franchising.com // Card Connection Franchisee, Tony Winchester, has been supporting the learning of pupils in year 9 at a local college in Cambridgeshire by managing a daylong ‘Dragon’s Den’ style project based around the greeting card industry. Around 125 pupils at Witchford Village College took part in the day which began with a presentation by Tony about the greeting card industry. The pupils aged 13 and 14 then worked in groups to ‘manage’ their own greeting card businesses, cumulating with a Dragon’s Den style presentation of their ideas to Tony Winchester and Sharon Little, chief executive of the Greeting Card Association (GCA).
“My role is to liaise with schools as a representative of Littleport Rotary Club...

December 16, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced that its Middlesbrough and Darlington Franchise area has been offered for sale. Having been in operation since October 1995, this franchise offers the chance to earn an income from day one by buying an established and profitable business, while also joining one of the UK’s most successful franchises.
“Because Card Connection’s franchise network in the UK and Ireland is complete, the only available opportunities now consist of acquiring an already-established business from an existing franchisee,” explains Andrew Cutler sales and franchise director, Card Connection. “This territory is only on the market due to the retirement of the current franchisees and therefore represents an exciting prospect for someone looking to run their own franchise business...

December 05, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has announced that the majority of its franchisees (87% of respondents from a recent satisfaction survey), are ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the overall size of the Card Connection product range. Almost three quarters were also ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the design strength and balance of the Card Connection greeting card and gift ranges.
“One of our strengths as an organisation is our in-house product creation and development department: we currently have the largest range of greetings cards available in the franchised distribution market, with more than 1,500 quality designs,” explains Andrew Cutler, sales and franchise director of Card Connection...

November 21, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced that its franchisee for the Birmingham area has expanded his area by purchasing the neighbouring territory of Burton and Rugeley. Former convenience store owner, Asif Malik and his team are now responsible for delivering and merchandising Card Connection’s extensive range of quality greeting cards and gifts to more than 350 retailers, which include the likes of Netto, Budgens, Londis, Spar and Shell.
“I joined Card Connection in 2009 after working with the company for around eight years as a retail customer,” confirms Asif Malik, Birmingham franchisee for Card Connection. “My business distributing Card Connection’s greeting cards has been thriving, but when the opportunity to purchase the neighbouring territory came up recently, I jumped at the chance to expand my franchise operation further!
“My team also needed to grow and so we have purchased a new van and hired two more merchandisers – one who is solely dedicated to prospecting and opening new accounts...

November 08, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced that it has selected a new franchise manager, Scott Gibson, for the South East region, covering Leicester to London, plus East Anglia and Sussex. Gibson will take over responsibility for providing help and support to 20 franchisees in territories across this region.
“My direct-to-retail background will allow me to provide a structured sales approach for franchisees,” confirms Gibson. “With the backing of Card Connection’s head office, the well organised support team, plus the resources of parent company UKG to draw on, I am looking forward to making a valuable contribution to helping franchisees accelerate the profits of their individual businesses...

September 19, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced that Tony Lees, the company's new franchisee for the Cork and Kerry area has also taken over the region covering South Tipperary, Limerick and Waterford creating a platinum franchise.
"Tony Lees joined Card Connection at the start of this year and has already upgraded his territory to include these important additional geographical areas," confirms Andrew Cutler, sales and franchise director of Card Connection. "We call these larger franchises Platinum regions' as by creating economies of scale through running a more substantial business, franchisees can create greater profits."
Tony Lees has around 30 years experience in the wholesale and retail industry working for companies including Canny's of Clonara, Mangans Wholesale and Musgrave...

September 06, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced that it has been selected to supply the major Irish fuel and convenience brand, Topaz, on an exclusive basis. Card Connection's four franchisees based within the region will now deliver and merchandise the company's quality range of greeting cards to 120 Topaz forecourts throughout the Republic of Ireland.

"Topaz has redefined the service station experience for Irish consumers in recent years," confirms Andrew Cutler, sales and franchise director, Card Connection. "Topaz is much more than just a fuel retailer and offering Card Connection's range of almost 1,500 greeting cards will now help to extend the company's offering within its convenience stores even further...

August 23, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has appointed Simon Hanna as its new senior franchise manager. Described as a 'Cardie' due to his 24 years in the greeting card industry, Hanna, will be responsible for helping Card Connection's team of 70 franchisees to grow the profitability of their respective businesses.

"I will be providing practical help to assist franchisees develop and optimise their operations," confirms Hanna. "Card Connection has an unparalleled range of high-quality greetings cards to suit every occasion and my focus will be expanding these superb products into new and innovative retail channels as well as further increasing sales within existing stores...

August 17, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection , has named Gabriel McGeown as the winner of its 'Franchisee of the Year' award which was presented at the Company's recent annual conference held in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. Gabriel McGeown who joined Card Connection in 2008 manages, Armagh, South Tyrone and part of the County Down region in Ireland.

"We are delighted to be able to recognise Gabriel McGeown for his outstanding commitment as a Card Connection franchisee," confirms Andrew Cutler, sales and franchise director of Card Connection. "Gabriel is consistently the top performer in average sales per retail outlet, growing his businesses volume sales by 14% in the past year...

August 01, 2011 // Franchising.com // A recent IT upgrade at the Card Connection head office, has allowed the company access to valuable resources, which will develop their design portfolio.

"Using the latest Mac equipment and software we have been able to create new and innovative greeting card designs, expanding and enhancing our range," explains Andrew Cutler, Sales and Franchise Director of Card Connection.

"Card Connection already has one of the largest ranges of greetings cards available in the franchised distribution market. These exciting technological developments will benefit our franchisees and valued retail customers by allowing them to display unrivalled selections of quality greeting cards to suit any occasion and demographic...

July 18, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has announced it can now supply the largest range of greetings cards available through its franchised distribution network, thanks to its links with UK Greetings (UKG). Following a recent IT upgrade at the Card Connection head office, the company's in-house design team now has access to a library of 10,000 designs to incorporate into its own greeting card ranges. Card Connection became part of UKG - the British subsidiary of American Greetings Inc. (AG) - three years ago. The company is the world's largest publicly owned greeting card company and the largest direct to retail greeting card publisher in the UK.

"Using the latest Mac equipment and software to draw on designs and existing imagery from the Company's international database, we can create new and innovative greeting card designs, potentially expanding our existing range up to ten fold," explains Andrew Cutler, sales and franchise director of Card Connection...

July 05, 2011 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced that Simon Linscheid has taken over the company's Dublin territory. Simon Linscheid was previously a Card Connection retail customer for eight years while he ran his Texaco forecourt business. He now supplies around 270 forecourts, and convenience retail stores in the region with Card Connection's extensive range of quality greeting cards and gifts.

"Running a forecourt was a seven day per week job and although I enjoyed it, I was looking for a change of scene," explains Linschied. "I was already familiar with Card Connection's merchandise and the company's award winning concept, so when the territory became available I jumped at the chance to become a retail supplier...