British Franchise Association (BFA)
The BFA announces the launch of the 35th BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards
The BFA (British Franchise Association) has announced the launch of the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards for 2024.
Founded in 1977, the BFA is the hub of franchising in the UK. The association not only showcases the opportunities for businesses and individuals to transform their lives through franchising but also provides an educational space and accreditations, governed by high standards and a strict code of ethics.
The awards, now in their 35th year, are considered the pinnacle of recognition and achievement in the franchise sector, celebrating as they do, the achievements of BFA member franchisors and franchisees.
The judges for this year’s awards are:
- Pip Wilkins QFP, CEO, BFA (British Franchise Association) (Chair of Judges)
- Gillian Morris, UK Head of Franchise, Commercial Banking, HSBC UK
- Natalia Shvarts QFP, Partner, Excello Law
- Adam Lovelock, Director, Coconut Marketing
- Alan Wilkinson QFP, Head of Franchise Development, The Franchising Centre
- Roz Goldstein QFP, Partner, PartnerWise Franchise
The relevant dates for the 2024 awards are as follows:
- 22nd April 2024: Entries open
- 12th June 2024: Entries close
- 29th July – 2nd August 2024: Judging week
- 2nd – 6th September 2024: Filming week
- 7th November 2024: Awards evening
A printable entry guide will be available on the BFA website from the 22nd April 2024.
The categories for this year’s awards are:
Franchisor Award Categories
- Franchisor of the Year – Established
- Franchisor of the Year – Expanding
- Franchisor of the Year – Emerging
- Franchisor of the Year – Lifestyle
- Leadership and Culture
- Brand Awareness
- International Expansion * new!
- Trailblazer
Franchisee Award Categories
- Lifestyle
- Next Generation
- Community Focus
- Business Builder * new!
- HSBC Best in Class, multi-unit, single brand
- HSBC UK Best in Class, multi-unit, multi-brand
- Trailblazer franchisee
- Franchisee of the year – People’s Choice
Commenting on the launch of the 35th annual awards, CEO of the BFA Pip Wilkins said:
She continued: “Franchise resales are a growth area for franchising and when you see the results, it’s not hard to understand why. When you invest in a franchise territory that is already operational, you hit the ground running with a very big head start, meaning the entrepreneur can achieve impressive growth results within a short space of time. This new category will give us the chance to shine a light on people investing in these resale territories and making huge successes of them. The new ‘International Expansion’ award for franchisors is going to make for fascinating reading too as we examine the international success of some of the larger franchise brands. Many franchisors who have built firm foundations with their UK operations are now looking to expand abroad. ‘Brand Britain’ is still a valuable commodity in the export market and OUR franchise brands are taking advantage of this like never before. We are looking forward to hearing about their journeys to international franchise success.”
Recognising the role of the judges Pip said:
Gillian Morris, UK Head of Franchise, Commercial Banking, at sponsors HSBC UK said:
