Boost Juice franchisees Daniel Mesiti and Anthony Stahl have scooped the NSW/ACT Multi-Unit Franchisee of the Year title, awarded by the Franchise Council of Australia.

Another food brand, Pizza Capers, received honours in these regional awards, with franchisees Chris Wall and Robyn Mitchell named NSW/ACT Franchisee of the Year, two or more staff.

Shaun Birley and Sam Orders of InXpress, Sydney CBD, beat the competition to win the award for NSW/ACT Single Unit Franchisee of the Year, less than two staff.

Soul Origin franchisee, Sherwin Djamil won the NSW/ACT Franchisee Community Responsibility and Contribution Award for 2016.

The FCA recognised franchising's best in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory at the Franchise Council of Australia's 2016 NSW/ACT Excellence in Franchising Awards presentations in Sydney on Monday night.

Franchisee success

Shaun Birley and Sam Orders purchased their InXpress franchise as soon as they graduated from university in 2013.

“We thought our degrees will always be there so why don’t we have a crack at something ourselves,” said Orders.  “And what better industry than franchising where you’re given a proven business model to follow.”

It’s a decision that has seen the pair recognised as the fastest growing franchise within the Australian InXpress network in their first year of operation and take home the network’s award for largest overall growth three years running.

Orders describes being named NSW/ACT Single Unit Franchisee of the Year, less than two staff as more “great recognition for the hard work we’ve put in for the past three-and-a-half years since we’ve started our franchise. To be recognised externally by our peers and the franchising industry means a lot to us. We’re very proud and very thankful for that”.

For Sherwin Djamil, the support offered by a franchise system was also a key attraction when deciding to become a small business owner.

“At first it (becoming a Soul Origin franchisee) seemed like an obstacle, because I’d never been a business owner before,” said Djamil. “But I realised that it was an opportunity and I wasn’t alone. Soul Origin had a support system and that support system has taken me to where I am today.”

Winning the NSW/ACT Franchisee Community Responsibility and Contribution Award for 2016 is important recognition to Sherwin – the franchisee of two Soul Origin stores at Westfield Parramatta -of his work with Parramatta charity, Homeless Connect.

“It means the world to me that I can say I’m a business owner that loves to give forward and contribute,” said Djamil.

The winners are now finalists for the MYOB FCA National Excellence in Franchising Awards which take place in October.

Regional winners

• NSW/ACT Multi-Unit Franchisee of the Year: Daniel Mesiti and Anthony Stahl, Boost Juice, Chatswood, Bankstown, Eastgardens and Top Ryde
• NSW/ACT Single Unit Franchisee of the Year, two or more staff: Chris Wall and Robyn Mitchell, Pizza Capers, Gungahlin
• NSW/ACT Single Unit Franchisee of the Year, less than two staff: Shaun Birley and Sam Orders, InXpress, Sydney CBD
• NSW/ACT Franchise Woman of the Year: Natalie Brennan, Foodco
• NSW/ACT Field Manager of the Year: Melissa Moseley, Frontline Recruitment Group
• NSW/ACT Franchisee Community Contribution and Responsibility: Sherwin Djamil  Soul Origin, Westfield Parramatta Level 5 & Level 1