The 14th International Franchise Exhibition BUYBRAND Expo - the key event on development of small and medium partnership business in Russia - was finished in Moscow. This year, 186 brands from 16 countries participated in the exhibition, which is one of the world-largest events of that kind.
About 6,500 entrepreneurs from all over Russia and 25 countries of the world visited BUYBRAND Expo during these three days. “According to our estimates, total investment potential of the visitors exceeded 40 billion rubles. Entrepreneurs manifested outstanding interest to the franchises of retail trading and service industry sectors,” - Ekaterina Soyak remarked, CEO of EMTG Company, founder and organizer of BUYBRAND Expo.
“Time to Make Business in Russia” International Forum was held within the framework of the exhibition. Heads of worldwide renowned companies, as well as government officials and representatives of public authorities took part in it. “Number of Russian and foreign brands at BUYBRAND Expo increases. In my opinion, the exhibition will gain momentum, its quality and the number of participants will grow year by year,” - Minister of Economic Development of Perm Krai Leonid Morozov noted.
Opening of the exhibition was featured by two important events – results of GOLDEN BRAND National Franchise Rating were summed up, and such companies as Invitro, 33 Pingvina and SDEK topped the list; moreover, Russian Franchise Association and Ministry of Economic Development of Perm Krai signed an agreement concerning organization of comprehensive communication and long-term partnership of the Parties to promote the development of franchising in Perm Krai.
As for exhibitors, three-day work of a number of companies at BUYBRAND Expo exhibition was marked by signing the agreements for franchise purchasing or agreements of intent.
“During the first two days of exhibition work, we signed 8 contracts, it’s a peculiar kind of efficiency record of our participation,” - told Maxim Makshanov, KOFE SET LLC CEO (master-franchise of CoffeeShop Company in Russia and Kazakhstan). Surgut, Moscow, Yakutsk and Samara are among new significant regions for the brand.
According to Elena Semyonova, Sales Director of the chain of Khleb iz Tandyra bake-houses, their company signed 6 such agreements, and two times more agreements that stand a good chance to result in long-term cooperation in the soonest possible time, were signed.
It was the first time at the exhibition when Pyaterochka retail chain was represented as the only platform in food retail to host franchise-partners. Moreover, at BUYBRAND Expo this company signed an agreement with Beeline (National telecom operator) for hosting 950 sales outlets by the end of this year and 1600 sales outlets until the end of the next year.
One of the newcomers of exhibition in 2016 – Mustang company – hold negotiations with 6 grave potential partners including those from regions which are significant for the brand: Siberia, Tatarstan, Central Black Earth Region.
Such large retailers as SPAR with its new Malinka “neighborhood store” format, Eldorado and Beeline, which is planning to involve at least 100 new franchises in 2017, participated in the exhibition for the first time. Participation of Landry’s company - one of the largest American dining companies – became a unique peculiarity of this year.
Moreover, EMTG Company made a public announcement of launching a new format ofBUYBRAND Expo - BUYBRAND FRANCHISE MARKET, which will take place on April 3-4, 2017 at the Exhibition of Economic Achievements (VDNKha). “Responding to numerous requests and feedbacks of exhibitors, we decided to make an exhibition project, which will take place in spring. This way, we will be able to involve the entrepreneurs who decided to set up business during the new period– is considered to be the beginning of period in most businesses,” - Ekaterina Soyak told.
What is more, EMTG plans to hood BUYBRAND Transcaucasia in ExpoGeorgia in Tbilisi in June 3-4, 2017 for the first time. Organizers expect that over 100 brands, which will represent their franchises to investors from Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, will take part in this exhibition. “Nowadays markets of these countries are of the utmost interest for franchisers, and there is no wonder – generally, region demonstrates a sustainable growth of FDI, GDP and average household income,” – Ekaterina Soyak remarked, “Total GDP is equal to $ 29 billion, total business volume makes $ 51.65 billion. Even as we speak, over 100 global brands are represented in these countries, and taking into consideration the prospects for the development of these regions and tourist traffic that grows year by year, we can forecast a significant in franchising at these markets”.
Several dozens of franchisers have already showed keen interest to new projects of the company during the operational period of BUYBRAND Expo. The 15th BUYBRAND Expo International Franchise Exhibition, which will take place from September 27 to September 29, 2017 in Expocentre Central Exhibition Complex, will become the high point of the next year.
