FranServe, Inc. has experienced tremendous growth since Alesia Visconti became president and CEO in 2016, and it looks like there’s no end in sight. Visconti recently announced a new partnership with Franchise Global Gateway (FGG), founded by brothers Muhssin El-Yacoubi and Bary El-Yacoubi. FGG was created to represent the fastest-growing brands in the U.S. looking to expand internationally.
“I love taking brands international,” Visconti exclaimed. “I took my last company to 11 countries. There’s tremendous opportunity for franchises on a global platform, and FranServe is ready to help brands on that level. Teaming up with FGG was a no-brainer for me based on shared goals and values.”
The El-Yacoubis were first introduced to Visconti when their brands Send Me a Trainer and Send Me a Pro entered the FranServe portfolio.
“We grew our franchise brands to over 120 locations, which included Canada, the U.K., Dubai and the Middle East,” shared Muhssin.
“We started sharing our international success with Alesia and combining that experience with her international experience, deep knowledge and influence in the franchising world, a partnership seemed to be a great opportunity for everyone,” said Bary.
A benefit of the partnership is that FGG offers U.S. brands a proactive approach.
“We start off explaining all the benefits of expanding internationally,” explained Musshin. “We identify the right international master franchise partners and create a strategy for the best markets to enter into for that brand. And for emerging brands, expanding internationally can mean less competition and more demand for them than in the States. It’s about matching the brand with the right opportunity.”
Historically, U.S. food and beverage franchise opportunities have been the most popular sectors to expand internationally. However, that is quickly changing.
“We are seeing a lot of interest from the Middle East in U.S. service brands and entertainment. There seems to be a shortage of options in children’s education, sports, fitness and entertainment, such as soft play,” shared Muhssin. “These are fast-emerging and thriving opportunities, particularly in emerging markets where there’s a strong, growing affluent community with disposable income looking for consumption and experiences.”
Muhssin lived in Dubai for over 10 years, which enabled him to establish important connections with large groups of investors that were interested in bringing U.S. brands to new, international markets.
“As we launched in Dubai, we really saw how eager other countries were to grab U.S. brands,” shared Muhssin. “We had an aha moment. That’s when we had the idea to orchestrate, represent and develop international opportunities.”
Careful consideration was made in teaming with FranServe, Inc. As an exclusive partnership, there had to be a like mindset between both parties.
“For us, it’s an exciting way to help our brands grow! We have turned other international opportunities down because they weren’t the right fit,” Visconti stated. “We know that brands don’t always have the time or resources to break into the global market. Now, by working with FranServe and FGG, they can finally take that leap. The value proposition is really a one-stop shop!”
Nancy E. Williams