Finance

The good news: Franchising is experiencing a remarkable growth phase - not only in unit count and system-wide revenue, but also in the number of new and emerging brands. The bad news: It's harder to keep up with all the good news! That's a nice problem to have - and why we've brought back our "Good News!" roundup of selected news items on unit growth, investment and financial developments, international expansion news, refranchising, and milestones attained by franchisors large, medium, and emerging. Here's your chance to follow the leaders, every third Tuesday of the month.
So if you're not doing it already, send us your good news here.

New Units/Growth/Expansion
Arooga's Grille House & Sports Bar Signs 3-Unit Deal for Staten Island
Dickey's Barbecue Pit Signs Deal for 8 Stores in Texas and Louisiana
Dippin' Dots Sees Continued Growth with 25% Sales Increase in 2016
Dog Haus To Open 5 Restaurants in Chicago in Multi-Unit Deal
Hurricane Grill & Wings Inks 2 Multi-Unit Deals for Virginia (3) and Florida (4)
Meritage Hospitality Group Buys 8 Wendy's Plus a Deal for 10 More
Pieology Pizzeria Signs 8-Unit Southeast Deal with Segovia Aslan Enterprises
Tim Hortons Signs Restaurant Development Partners To Franchise in MN
UFC Gym Signs UFC Bantamweight Urijah Faber To Open Gym in California
Weed Man USA Reports Strong First Half; Sees 49 New Territories by Year-End

Big Plans, Big Dreams
Cousins Subs Targets Growth Following Post-Recession Contraction
Sir Grout Unveils Strategic Growth Plans
Marco's Pizza Announces Aggressive Growth Plan for Maryland: 30 by 2017
Spray-Net, Canadian Home Painting Brand, Sets Sights on U...

The banking industry is increasing its conventional business lending activity. Since the recession, banks have focused on lower-risk businesses, which translates into larger businesses with good track records. Recently, banks have been expanding their focus to smaller businesses with less experience. At the same time, we have seen the rapid expansion of alternative lenders (led by Internet-based lenders) into the smaller business/less experience category.
Therefore, it is relevant to ask whether a publicly funded lending program for businesses is still needed. Government programs launched during a time of need often stay around well past their useful lives, or at least their original purpose. That question is being debated in Congress right now regarding the Export-Import Bank...

ApplePie Capital, which began offering a new, innovative source of franchisee funding earlier this year, has announced three new brands, marking 11 brands now participating in its franchise loan marketplace. The three new brands are Brain Balance Achievement Centers, Brightway Insurance, and Capriotti's Sandwich Shop. ApplePie had previously announced AdvantaClean, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Fast-Fix Jewelry and Watch Repair, Marco's Pizza, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Phenix Salon Suites, RNR Tire Express, and Sola Salon Studios.

The impetus behind the company's formation was to provide a franchise loan marketplace that connects franchisees in need of capital with investors seeking fixed-income returns by investing in operators of proven franchise brands...

2015 AFDR Highlights: Top Franchise Sales Producers

In the following months, FUSR will present highlights from the 2015 Annual Franchise Development Report (AFDR). The report is based on responses from 139 franchisors representing 36,313 units (32,693 franchised and 3,620 company-owned). This week: Top Sales Producers and Top Internet Sales Producers.

There's a new franchise funding alternative in town: ApplePie Capital, which announced its presence as a franchise lender and unveiled its website last week. The idea behind the company is to provide a franchise loan marketplace that connects franchisees in need of capital with investors seeking fixed-income returns, in this case by investing in operators of proven franchise brands. The marketplace will launch in Q1 2015 and offer loans ranging from $100,000 to $1 million.

ApplePie will work exclusively with franchises, says co-founder and CEO Denise Thomas. The company's founding brands are Marco's Pizza, Fast-Fix Jewelry and Watch Repairs, Nothing Bundt Cakes, AdvantaClean, Sola Salon Studios, and RNR Custom Wheels and Tire Express...

Franchisors often ask us when they should activate their franchise marketing fund. They may have a requirement for marketing spending in their FDD, but may not be collecting or spending the money centrally. They may also have older agreements with different spending requirements in their system and have concerns about how to structure a fund that is equitable.

We recently helped a 300-unit franchise system activate their national marketing fund. They took a very thoughtful, inclusive approach and successfully launched their program with nearly 100% compliance. We thought it would be helpful to recap that approach, but realized that we needed to back up and explain a few things about ad funds first. The result is a series of articles that will cover a lot of related topics...