If you are reading this article, you are likely already aware of the advantages of franchising. While owning a single franchise can be beneficial, owning multiple franchises as a multi-unit franchise operator provides additional advantages that single-unit franchisees do not have access to.
Whether you are an existing franchise owner seeking to grow your business or a prospective franchisee interested in starting with multiple units, this article will explore the advantages of multi-unit franchising and why it might be the right choice for you. However, before delving into the benefits, let’s first define what multi-unit franchising is and examine its prevalence in the US.
As the name implies, multi-unit franchising refers to a franchisee who has invested in multiple franchise units, typically within an authorized geographic area or territory. The primary distinction between a single-unit franchisee and a multi-unit franchisee, aside from the number of locations, is the level of involvement. Single-unit franchisees tend to be more hands-on with their location and may need to invest more time in running it, particularly in the early stages.
Conversely, a multi-unit franchisee cannot be as extensively involved in each location due to time constraints and the inability to be in multiple places simultaneously. Nevertheless, owning multiple franchise units doesn’t absolve one of responsibilities, but it does require franchise owners to rely more on management teams to oversee each location. As a result, multi-unit franchising may be more appealing to those seeking semi-absentee ownership.
When a franchisee decides to invest in multiple franchise units, they will typically be granted an Area Developer Agreement, also known as a Multi-Unit Development Agreement. This agreement specifies the number of units the franchisee is required to establish within a particular territory and within a specified time frame. By signing this agreement, the franchisee is ensured exclusive rights to that specific territory, which means that no other franchise owners can open a location within that area. Essentially, the Area Developer Agreement establishes how many franchise locations a franchisee will establish over a set period of time and within a particular area. Failure to comply with this agreement may result in the franchisee being prohibited from opening additional locations.
According to FRANdata, more than 43,212 multi-unit franchisees control over 223,213 franchised units in the US, representing 54% of all franchised units. The US has witnessed a significant increase in multi-unit franchising, with approximately 23% growth from 2010 to 2018 in franchisees owning two to five units. Additionally, multi-unit franchisees owning six to ten units experienced nearly 34% growth during the same period, with the percentage increasing as the number of units owned goes up.
It is clear that multi-unit franchising has become increasingly popular, and here are some reasons why.