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Which Aussie franchise wins top accolade at industry awards night?

Sarah Stowe

A homegrown franchise concept has been named the Australian Established Franchisor of the Year, taking out this award for the second time.

Poolwerx was founded 24 years ago by John O’Brien. In accepting the top award in the franchising sector O’Brien said “Taking out the Established Franchisor of the Year is certainly a nice pat on the back for a job well done but I don’t claim the win as my own because none of the success we have generated would be possible without the sum of all our Poolwerx family.

“Early in my career I learned about the three legged stool concept from franchising great Ray Kroc: a stool has three legs but take one away and it ceases to function. This is still relevant to our business two decades later and I know without the collective effort of our franchise partners, Poolwerx support centre team and partners-in-profit (suppliers) none of this would be possible. Everyone deserves credit for this award win

“When we first won the award 12 years ago we were a service only business but I knew what my vision was for the company so I vowed we wouldn’t enter again until we had 100 stores and had progressed from a mobile-only to a multi-tier business model.

“We’ve now smashed the 100-store goal, will have over 400 mobile vans in the next 12 months and are rapidly expanding overseas, which makes this year’s win so much sweeter.”

The brand was also successful in another category, with Stephen Halls taking the Field Manager of the Year title.

Newer brands in the sector were celebrated, with Jump! Swim Schools awarded Australian Emerging Franchisor of the Year for a business that launched in 2011, began franchising just two years ago and now has 30 swim schools open.

High performing individuals gained recognition too for their business acumen and community spirit with franchisees from Bakers Delight, Boost Juice, InXpress and Pizza Capers scooping the top franchisee awards.

Canberra-based partners Chris Wall and Robyn Mitchell were named Single Unit Franchisee of the Year, Two or More Staff for their Pizza Capers outlet.

Young franchisees Shaun Birley and Sam Orders snapped up the Single Unit Franchisee of the Year, Less than Two Staff.

The national winner for the Franchisee Community Responsibility and Contribution category was baker Ryan Kirkham who runs two Bakers Delight outlets in Queensland.

Daniel Mesiti and Anthony Stahl proved a winnng combination for the Multi-Unit Franchisee of the Year category. The pair are also one of the most highly awarded partnerships in the Boost Juice Bars network.

Boost Juice was also named national winner for Franchise Innovation.

The optometry chain Specsavers took out the Excellence in Marketing award, and the Franchisor Social Responsibility award went to Bridgestone Select.

FoodCo’s head of corporate brand support Natalie Brennan began her career in the franchise sector aged 15; at the MYOB FCA Excellence in Franchising Awards she was named Franchise Woman of the Year.

Greg Nathan’s Franchise Relationships Institute beat off the competition to be named the 2016 Supplier of the Year.

Aussie business GJ Gardner Homes was awarded the accolade of Excellence in International Franchising – the business has developed across Australia, New Zealand and the US.

Pandora Jewellery won the award for International Franchisor of the Year, which recognises the performance of an overseas brand in the Australian marketplace.

Murray d’Almeida, who has been behind a number of franchise hospitality brands and formed the Retail Food Group, was this year’s inductee into the Franchise Hall of Fame.