Kerry Pipes

The International Franchise Association (IFA) is partnering with Fortem International, a leading global event organizer, to launch the largest franchise exhibition ever held. The newly created IFA World Franchise Show will take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center on May 9-10, 2025.

Alabama-based entrepreneur Jignesh Patel has struck up a deal to bring Curry Up Now restaurants to Alabama. Patel is a Raceway franchisee who was attracted to Curry Up Now’s Indian fast-casual cuisine and concept. He’ll start with three locations in the Birmingham area and has plans to expand further into Jefferson and Shelby Counties.

Alex Kukich, Bob Flynn, and Stella Vavas Sabracos met at a Dill Dinkers Discovery Day and quickly recognized that together they could bring the indoor pickleball concept to markets in Maryland and Delaware. Their new development deal with the brand calls for at least 30 locations with a specific focus on the Delaware and Maryland beach towns.

Franchise Update shines light on artificial intelligence, franchisee recruiting, and collaborative marketing

Name: Andy Bell Title: CEO and Founder Company: Ace Handyman Services & Ace Hardware Painting Units: 392 Age: 58 Years in franchising: 24 Years in current position: 26

Name: Heather Leed Neary Title: President & CEO Company: Taco John's International Units: Approximately 360 Age: 49 Years in franchising: 20 Years in current position: 3 months

Artificial intelligence (AI) took center stage at this year’s Franchise Customer Experience Conference (FCXC) in Atlanta. In sessions and during hallway conversations, attendees discussed the rapid development of AI and its potential applications in consumer marketing, including franchisee benchmarking, training, recruitment, and more.

CMO aims to deeply understand customer segments to build awareness and drive traffic

By the time we get to Q4 at Franchise Update Media, two words take the spotlight: franchise development. This issue explores the many facets of frandev. A number of stories flowed out of the Franchise Leadership & Development Conference (FLDC) in Atlanta, including Mystery Shopping, STAR Awards, and the first look at the Annual Franchise Development Report (AFDR). It’s all covered in this issue of Franchise Update magazine.

Franchise development professionals gather in Atlanta learn and share ideas