The Finance Ministry has launched a new initiative intended to introduce and guide businesses in the concept of franchising, engaging the International Franchise Centre to assist and support Malta Enterprise and the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.

The Commonwealth Secretariat, through its Special Advisory Services Division, will be supporting this project on internal capacity building and through the development of a franchise support programme for Malta.

Franchising is a network of interdependent business relationships that allows a number of people or businesses to share brand management, with a common business model and a standardised marketing and distribution system.

ME chairman Alan Camilleri said a number of franchise operations have already been established in Malta, in areas such as the food and catering, fashion clothing and other services. Most franchises contracted in Malta are international or cross-border franchise arrangements entered into between foreign franchisors and local entrepreneurs as franchisees.

extracted from di-ve Business & Finance section