The second day of the World Franchise Forum got underway with the panel session ‘Franchising as a Key Driver for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprise in Russia’. Discussion participants, including both government officials and owners of federal and regional franchises, discussed measures of support for franchisors and franchisees, the need for legislative changes, and how projects of this kind have traditionally developed in Russia.
General Director of ANO Moscow Export Center (MEC) Kirill Ilyichev noted that significant measures were now in place to support exporters. “Franchising has great potential for development in export, first of all, to CIS countries, and to a wider range of countries as well,” the expert said, adding that the association was preparing new instruments of assistance.
General Director of the Subway Russia Franchising Company Olga Bludovskaya noted that the kind of support that exists today from state and public organizations was not available when Subway was opening its first stores in Russia. “While it used to be enough just to choose a location and put your world famous brand logo out there, the fast food restaurant market has now become very competitive and aggressive. You need to constantly be changing to keep up with changes to the needs of clients," Olga Bludovskaya said, adding that the market was transforming very quickly and that the main thing for a company was not to fall behind.
Invitro Corporate Communications and Marketing Director Anton Bulanov said that the Lechu brand medical franchise would become a full member of Invitro by the end of May and that Invitro would then constitute two franchises, one laboratory and one medical. “Our next step is to take advantage of the synergy created by a combined laboratory and medical franchise," Anton Bulanov added.
Executive Director of the Association of Entrepreneurship Organizations of the Republic of Bashkortostan Irina Abramova acquainted session participants with her region’s experience supporting and developing small and medium-sized business, and franchising in particular. The republic first began to study franchises in 2011, after which it established the Regional Franchising Centre and realized that they had 60 Bashkir brands that were potential franchisors. “It would be really great to see small business drive economic development, and we have created and continue to create support tools to this end,” Irina Abramova added.
The World Franchise Forum and Expo is being held 31 May – 1 June under the auspices of Moscow Entrepreneurship Week and with the support of the Roscongress Foundation, the Moscow Government, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. Forum address: World Trade Centre, 12 Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment, Moscow.
