Bakers Delights hunts for Gen Y franchisees

Baker’s Delight has launched an ambitious program titled Fresh Franchisee, which will see the bakery franchisor attempt to secure more than 100 franchisees in the next six months, with a specific focus on targeting Generation Y.

The news comes after a new report by accounting firm PwC showed 97% of franchisors believe the decreasing volume of franchisee enquiries is one of the biggest threats to their business.

Baker’s Delight general manager Chris Gurney says Bakers Delight is determined to boost its franchisee numbers, and is encouraging young people to consider becoming a Fresh Franchisee.

The program will see the company find younger prospective business owners who can replace some of the older franchisees, who Gurney says are beginning to sell off their businesses and scale down.

“Our franchisees are buying into the idea more and more because we’ve got a lot of people who have spent 10 to 15 years doing these businesses, and consequently they want to move on. They see the program as a good opportunity to train up people to get into the business,” Gurney says.

Gurney believes the Fresh Franchisee concept would work well in other franchise systems within the food retail sector, particularly as so many of them are mum-and-dad operations also looking to sell.

“There is an untapped resource of employees in current franchises and we wanted to make the path clearer for them to become franchisees,” he says.

Gurney says young people looking to take on a franchise are looked upon favourably for their “energy, passion and excitement” which helps to increase sales.

“This initiative is ideal for those young, keen and motivated individuals who may not have the experience and capital to purchase a bakery,” he says.

“We provide them with the knowledge, education and tools to fuel career growth while working in a bakery environment.”

Gurney says the challenge is ensuring Fresh Franchisees are fully committed to the business.

“We want to be focused on the connection that our franchisees get from our training department and our mentoring.”