The Elite Franchise Top 100 Canada Awards have become the gold standard in recognizing brands that push the boundaries of success, setting benchmarks for growth and leadership within the industry. This year’s awards reflected the exceptional efforts of businesses that continue to elevate the franchising landscape through their commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and community engagement.

Scott English, Founder and Global Brand Director of Elite Franchise, underscored the significance of securing a place in the Top 100: “Gaining a spot in the Top 100 is a remarkable achievement to be truly proud of. Each year, we assess entries based on our six key criteria while also evaluating the strategies the franchises employ to tackle challenges and ensure long-term success. These brands’ forward-thinking attitudes and groundbreaking innovations never cease to impress us, earning them the recognition they wholeheartedly deserve.”

Elite Franchise Additional Award Winners 2025:

• No.1 Award Winner: Pizza Pizza – Setting the industry benchmark as Canada’s top franchise through operational excellence and visionary leadership.
• Exceptional Performance of the Year: Boston Pizza – Recognized for sustained excellence and a legacy of franchise success.
• Sustainability of the Year: JDI Cleaning Services – Honored for its eco-friendly initiatives and commitment to sustainable business practices.
• Diversity and Inclusion Award: The TEN SPOT – Acknowledged for its dedication to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment for staff and customers alike.
• Innovation of the Year: Fat Bastard Burrito – Celebrated for revolutionizing the fast-casual dining experience with cutting-edge innovation.
• Community Builder of the Year: Molly Maid – Applauded for its deep-rooted dedication to community involvement and charitable initiatives.
• Emerging Franchiser of the Year: Let’s Get Moving – Recognized for impressive growth and a dynamic market presence.
• Franchisee Outstanding Achievement of the Year: Caitlin Poulucci of Oxford Learning – Commended for her exceptional contributions and leadership within her franchise network.

Click here to view the Elite Franchise Top 100 

Reflecting on the evening, Fiona Styant, Vice President of Development at Molly Maid, expressed her gratitude for receiving the Community Builder of the Year Award: “What an incredible honor to receive the Community Builder of the Year Award! I am truly grateful for this recognition, especially as Molly Maid has identified ‘caring’ as one of our five core values. We are constantly inspired by our peers in the franchising world and take great pride in staying connected to every community we serve. Building a strong, thriving community isn’t the work of just one person—it takes collaboration, passion, and a shared commitment to growth. I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to contribute and learn from so many amazing individuals in this industry. A heartfelt thank you to the judges, my peers, and everyone who believes in the power of the franchise community. Let’s keep growing together!”

As the EF100 Awards continue to gain prestige, they serve as a beacon of recognition for the game-changers shaping the future of franchising. The road to excellence does not end here—Elite Franchise will open submissions for the EF100 2026 on August 1, 2025.

For more information, please contact Scott English.

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Time sure does fly by when you are having fun. Today, a well-established Canadian brand is celebrating their 25th Anniversary, an impressive milestone worth celebrating. Booster Juice first opened shop in Sherwood Park, Alberta back on November 13th, 1999. Since then, they have built a reputation on providing customers with delicious, feel-good smoothies and food options with top-notch customer service. Today, Canada’s original juice and smoothie bar is successfully operating with more than 450 locations from coast to coast. This type of growth and longevity is rare among Quick Service Restaurants like Booster Juice, something we, as Canadians, are happy to celebrate. 

“I really haven’t reflected on the magnitude of today’s event until now when it sunk in that it’s a big milestone, and it’s been a lot of fun and has changed many people’s lives positively” said Booster Juice President and CEO, Dale Wishewan. “I’m incredibly thankful of our amazing customers, Franchise Partners, and my corporate and store staff who I have the privilege to work alongside. This type of success isn’t possible without being surrounded by amazing people. I am also thankful of my family who have been so supportive during this wild journey.” 

Born and raised in Waskatenau, Alberta, Dale Wishewan has always been driven to pursue and achieve success. Possessing a lifelong passion for sports and fitness, he attended Portland State University on a baseball scholarship. While travelling throughout the United States, he noticed the popularity of juice and smoothie bars, and quickly realized there was an opportunity in the crowded Canadian fast-food market to provide a healthier alternative to consumers with an active lifestyle. Making his own protein concoctions for years, and with his interest in health and wellness, he made it a goal to bring fresh and healthy food to the Canadian market. The hard work began with his own home kitchen serving as the testing ground for one smoothie creation after another – including some of the most popular smoothies on their current menu! 

When the first store opened in Sherwood Park, it was a new concept to Canada. November was not the ideal time either going into the dead of a Canadian winter selling cold beverages. Co-workers, neighbours, and friends thought Dale was crazy to embark on something so foreign to Canadians, but he was determined. As it turned out, people were ready for a healthy fast-food alternative, and there was nothing else like Booster Juice in the market. 

Things moved quickly after that. By the end of year one, fifteen locations were open and in year two, another thirty-five more locations were added. This was such an achievement that it is still a Canadian Franchise Record for opening 50 stores in two years from inception. 

When others in the Food Service Industry have asked how he was able to open 50 stores in two years, Dale’s reply is always the same, “I didn’t know in the first year whether 5 stores were typical, or 25, and everything came naturally from a project management side. The next thing you know we had 50 stores.” 

Now, after 25 years, they are still blending up incredibly delicious smoothies, delivering convenient wraps, paninis, rolling up energizing Booster Balls, and freshly preparing nutritious shots and beverages. 

The post Booster Juice Celebrates 25th Anniversary appeared first on Business Exchange Blog.

You are buying a franchise, and there is much to consider. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed, as you make your life-altering decision.  Don’t despair, as there are resources available to you to assist you along the way, including certain qualified franchise lawyers.  There are many things to avoid when you are buying a franchise.  

1: Avoid Franchisors Who are Looking out for Themselves

One, we recommend that you avoid any franchisors that are more interested in selling you a franchise than in supporting you once you have been granted.

Though not so prevalent, there are some bad actors in the franchise industry whose sole concern is collecting initial franchise fees; they may not even be interested in collecting royalties.  This may be a sign that the franchise system is in distress.

2: Avoid Franchisors who are Selling more than they can Support

Two, avoid investing in a franchise system that is purportedly selling more franchises than it could possibly support, or those franchisors who have just recently launched, but who have more franchises granted than opened.

Once again, this may be a sign of a franchisor looking to make ends meet, or worst-case scenario, looking to abscond with the collected franchise fees.

3: Avoid Franchisors who Don’t Respect your Legal Counsel

Three, reconsider investing in a franchise system whose franchisor belittles the need for legal advice on your part or gives short shrift to your lawyer’s requests for information or amendment. 

A franchisor may disagree with your lawyer’s position or request, but it should be respectful in doing so. Otherwise, you may be dealing with a franchisor who will later turn on you and your needs.  

4: Avoid Franchisors who are not Performing Well

Fourth, avoid a franchise system that has evidence of a disproportionate number of transfers or terminations for these are clear indicators of distress in the system.

5: Avoid Franchisors who are not Transparent

Five, be wary of any franchisor that has provided you with a deficient disclosure document, as this may be indicative of far deeper issues.

6: Seek the Help of a Franchise Lawyer

Finally, it is critically important to retain a qualified franchise lawyer and other professional advisors when buying a franchise.  This is particularly true when investing your life’s savings.

Consequently, your franchise lawyer should be able to assist you to review the disclosure document and to guide you through the negotiations with the franchisor.

We have unfortunately seen far too many franchisees who have failed to obtain such advice, and who are now paying a very high price.  Our firm’s goal is to help you avoid such difficulties and failure and to redirect you in the direction of much greater success.

Written by Joseph Adler who is a partner with the franchise law boutique firm of Hoffer Adler LLP. We have represented over 495 franchise systems, including franchisors, franchisees (unit, multi-unit and master) and franchise associations. We also act as commercial and litigation counsel to our franchise clients.”

About the Business Exchange

Established in 1998, The Business Exchange connects franchises for sale listings from well-known franchisors and brands to prospective franchisees. See our many Franchises for Sale listings. Request a Quote and Call us Today!

The post Things To Avoid Before Buying a Franchise appeared first on Business Exchange Blog.

Franchise Training Programs

Congratulations! You have been granted the right to own a franchise. One of the first things that you will be doing as a new franchisee is to begin the training process. The franchisor’s training program is the foundation of a successful operation and is usually mandatory for the franchisee. Successful franchising is all about consistency after all. The level of support and training should encompass all aspects of running the franchise business. The type of training, duration of the training and many other factors will vary depending on the industry and brand.

Here are some typical examples of the type of training you should receive.

• Initial site selection & buildout
• Operating standards and procedures
• Technical operations for providing the services or product
• Sales and merchandising, brand standards training
• Recruitment, training, management, and retention of employees
• Marketing, advertising, and public relations.
• Managing and controlling finances
• Business administration working with approved suppliers
• Operating the point-of-sale (POS) system

It’s important to consider that there will be ongoing training provided as well as the initial training. Ongoing training is very important, as business processes, products, expansion, and other factors may occur when operating your franchise. 

Franchise Operation Manuals

A franchise’s operation manuals define and provide all of the details of the proven business model to the franchisee. Depending on how big the franchise is, there may be a series of manuals.

Below are some typical examples of what an operation manual will cover:

• An overview of the company and its mission statement, vision, and values
• Clear roles and expectations for the franchisee and franchisor
• Service procedures – for example, recipes for restaurants
• How to receive and rotate stock
• Opening and closing procedures
• Detailed job descriptions for staff
• How to hire, train and lead staff
• Detailed job descriptions
• Administration, accounting and reporting requirements
• Supplier contracts and purchasing procedures
• Proper use of trademarks and branding procedures
• List of contacts

Franchise Operation Manuals

A franchise’s operation manuals define and provide all of the details of the proven business model to the franchisee. Depending on how big the franchise is, there may be a series of manuals.

Below are some typical examples of what an operation manual will cover

• An overview of the company and its mission statement, vision, and values
• Clear roles and expectations for the franchisee and franchisor
• Service procedures – for example, recipes for restaurants
• How to receive and rotate stock
• Opening and closing procedures
• Detailed job descriptions for staff
• How to hire, train and lead staff
• Detailed job descriptions
• Administration, accounting and reporting requirements
• Supplier contracts and purchasing procedures
• Proper use of trademarks and branding procedures
• List of contacts

Franchise Advisory Councils

A FAC (franchise advisory council) is a group of established franchisees who meet with the executives of the franchise. The purpose of having a FAC, is to communicate important concerns, opportunities and recommend ways to improve the whole franchise experience. Franchise Advisory Councils are important for the purpose of improving the system-wide franchise process.

Other Support

As mentioned earlier, the type of support the franchisee receives will differ between industries and brands. The main goal when developing a franchise system for the franchisee is to ensure that the franchisee will operate their franchise as successful as possible.

Typical types of support include:

• Annual reviews and audits
• Conferences and regional meetings
• Business planning sessions
• Online discussion forums
• Business coaching calls
• Evolving customer relationship management software
• Centralized call centre
• Shared brand advertising management Website development and maintenance
• Research and development

Questions You Should Ask

Now that you have an overview of the type of support your franchisor should be providing you with, here are some questions to consider before officially starting your franchise.

1. What happens if the franchisor doesn’t provide any of the items listed above?
2. What is the franchising fee?
3. Where are the franchise locations?
4. Does the franchisor provide field support?
5. Are we protected with real estate territorial protection?
6. What happens if training is never completed or initiated?
7. Is there an adequate amount of support and training provided for me to run my business successfully?
8. Is there ongoing support provided?

Visit Business Exchange for 1000s of Franchise Opportunities 

The post Franchise Support: Things to consider before buying a franchise appeared first on Business Exchange Blog.

How to Sell a Franchise

Be Your Own Consultant

You should be your own salesperson before hiring someone else to do the job for the following reasons:

• It allows the franchisor to learn firsthand the ins and outs of selling a franchise and all the processes and procedures it takes for them to sell a franchise, pro tip: do your due diligence when you are studying on how to sell your business
• It allows the franchisor to keep costs of hiring a business broker or franchise broker to a minimum
• The franchisor will be involved in choosing and working with potential franchisees, as a result, their relationship will be positive and strong
• In adopting a DIY strategy, franchisors don’t need to spend time interviewing and hiring staff

Hire a Franchise Consultant

You tried to franchise your business and failed, the next logical step is to hire someone who has the experience of selling an existing franchise brand for you. Franchise salesperson is someone you can employ that will do most of the work for you. They have the knowledge and the expertise to connect franchisors with the prospective franchisees and prospective buyers.

Some of the primary benefits associated with hiring a franchise salesperson are:

• They’re likely to be more productive than the DIY approach
• You have total control of how you want to market your franchise and how you want to direct the procedures
• Commissions paid to a salesperson is lower than commissions to an outsourced salesperson

Outsourcing

Nowadays, many franchisors rely heavily on outsourcing an organization known as the Franchise Sales Outsourcing (FSO). The FSO will handle almost every aspect of the franchise sales process: marketing input, initial lead handling, database input, material distribution, and trade show management.

Many business owners hire FSO because of the following advantages:

• FSOs can alleviate a franchisor’s time to focus on existing operations and the success of franchiseesUnlike a franchise salesperson, they don’t need training
• They help franchisors avoid all start-up costs, eliminating the necessity of starting an internal sales team
• Allow for experienced sales professionals join their team, without having to quit their full-time job
• Low turnover rate
• FSOs can scale franchise sales as they have the incremental staff to take on greater sales commitments
• Lower fixed costs

Find an Experienced and Resourceful Company you can Trust

Entrust a company that has multiple platforms to help you find buyers. The Business Exchange publishes free publications on listing your franchises for sale, and we have an online platform that promotes your listing through various channels. In fact, we are Canada’s most active marketplace reaching 6.6 million buyers last year and we are continuously growing. Not only do we specialize in the Canadian franchise business but we also help potential buyers find their next business opportunity!

A Checklist for Franchising your Business

You have a successful business and now you’ve hit that point of ultimate scale and speed of growth through the existing franchise brand distribution model. This checklist will help you organize your thoughts, actions, and steps to be taken to ensure a well-planned and structured launch of your new franchise brand.

1. Confirm that your Brand is ready for Franchising

Have the appropriate branding for your business to best present your brand and help buyers understand why what you offer carries value.

2. Check your Training Model

Great franchises have fabulous training models. How can you find out if yours is up to par? Talk to your own employees, gauge your turnover rate and get a feeling for how you stack up against the rest of the market and your competitions.

3. Is your Technology up to Par?

In order to duplicate your model, your franchisees will need technology to execute. Confirm that you have a scheduling system, staffing technology, web management, accounting, and other software platforms.

4. Know your Marketing Model

Good existing franchise brands have great Franchise Marketing Systems. Their marketing and business development model is defined, structured, and organized.

5. Be Ready to Sell your Pants Off

Franchising is a marketing and sales business. You need to be ready to present your value proposition and market your brand to potential franchise buyers. Talk with others who are doing the same and make sure you are up for the task.

6. Are your Financials Impressive enough to Franchise?

A good franchise system should be able to show a franchisee on how to earn $70k or more per year. Your business doesn’t have to make millionaires out of selling a franchise, it just needs to be validated enough to show them how they can make a good living and build a financial asset.

7. Do you have the tools in place to Support the Franchise Model?

As your franchisees expand into new markets, will they be able to leverage the relationships you have in place, pricing you’ve negotiated and overall strategic benefit you get at your corporate business?

8. Check your Legal Structure

Have you trademarked your brand and your logo and protected your intellectual property?

9. Do you Understand the Time, Effort, and Devotion that goes into Supporting Franchisees?

Franchisees are like newborns, they need time and attention beyond what you could fathom until you have one. Are you ready for this? Will you provide enough training and support for your new franchisees?

10. What is your Competitive Differentiator against the Rest of the Market?

How does your small business stack up against your competition and what makes your franchise better? Are you offering an optimal purchase price for your brand?

About The Business Exchange

Established in 1998, The Business Exchange specializes in lead generation in franchise opportunities industry, in print and online. We have over 1000s of Franchises for Sale listings. Call us today at 1-877-337-1188 or ask us how to place your franchise listings.

The post How to turn your Business into a Hot Franchises for Sale Listing appeared first on Business Exchange Blog.

Usually, there are three options for a novice entrepreneur, one option is to buy a business, another option is to create a start-up business, and three, invest in a franchise and be a part of a recognizable brand. 

10 Things You Need to Know as a Successful Franchisee

Choose a Franchise that Matches your Personality

Think before you act is the key takeaway here, you’ve finally taken the leap of faith and decided to be your own boss, why would you choose a business that you are not passionate about? Ensure the industry you’re about to get into truly reflects your personality and passion.

What are Franchise & Royalty Fees?

The difference between franchise fees and royalty fees is that the former is a one-time fee charged by the franchisor when a franchisee is opening a franchise. The fee is determined based on how long the franchisor will need to train the franchisee, to get the business up and running and learning the entire business concept.

In contrast, the royalty fee is an ongoing fee paid to the franchisor by the franchisee, it is typically calculated based on the gross revenue of the business, and royalty fees are usually paid monthly rather than biweekly. Generally speaking, royalty fees range from 5-6%.

A business that won’t Break Your Bank

Franchisors in the franchise industry do not want to discourage prospective franchisees from opening new locations, so they come up with affordable pricing.

Choose a Well Known Brand As Your Franchise Opportunity

A well-known brand saves you the headache of establishing brand awareness and residual customer base. When you purchase the name of a well-known enterprise that offers amazing product or services, you are acquiring all the success that comes with it.

Get Assistance in Getting a Prime Location

When you work with an experienced franchisor, they have the expertise in choosing a prime location for your business. For example, they will not pick locations where the population is low and rural. On the other hand, they will pick secured and protected territories for their franchisees. Some companies will even go the extra mile and shield their franchisees from competing businesses. Therefore, these practices in a sustainable franchise system will ensure entrepreneurs as successful franchisees.

Franchisors have experts to help you lock down a prime location that will benefit your business. That said, when making your decision of which franchise to invest in, it would be a good idea to pick a franchise that provides Site Selection Assistance.

Financial Assistance from Franchisors

If you were to start a small business on your own or purchase one, being able to obtain a bank loan is lower if you have a business ideal that’s going to fail. On the flip side, if you want to get a loan for a franchised brand, then it would be easier. Banks are more opened to lending money to franchisees because they know the business will succeed.

A Complete Support Network

One of the biggest reasons why businesses fail is incompetent management and ineffective operation. When you run a business solely on your own, all cards are on the table, finances, day-to-day operations, marketing efforts, customer service, and logistics. It is simply not feasible for one individual to handle all aspects of the business. Since it’s easier to rely on a large support network that will have dedicated staff to help you with everything you need, many entrepreneurs choose to franchise business rather than start their own.

Price Negotiation Perks

When you are under the umbrella of a large franchisor, you don’t need to worry about spending too much on supplies and inventory capital; suppliers reserve their best deals for reliable companies that offer residual income and have been in partnership with them for a long time. Therefore, you might be allocating too much of your budget on supplies when you could save that budget for something else. 

When you become a franchisee, your franchisor’s reputation and relationship with suppliers will suddenly change the dynamics because now you have access to cheaper and more affordable supplies.

Improved Valuation

Owning a franchise equates to faster growth, evolving organizational structures, and increased profitability.

Industry-Leading Approach

As a future franchisee, you need to pick a franchise that is invested in both their future and your future. Choose a franchise that is pushing the envelope and developing innovative ways to flourish.

Franchise 101: 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Only Researching One Franchise

You might be very inclined and tempted to say Yes to the first franchise you find and want to invest in, but how would you know what else is out there unless you look the research?

Buying a Franchise without Hiring a Lawyer

Don’t forget to consult a lawyer when it comes to reading and understanding the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). An experienced franchise lawyer is able to spot out any red flags in the FDD.

Choosing Passion Brands Only

You’ve decided to choose a franchise that you believe in and are passionate about, but don’t franchise it simply because you like the brand. Ensure that the brand is healthy and will offer constant revenue streams.

High Expectations from the Franchisor

Sometimes, franchisees get too dependent on the franchisor because they get used to receiving training and help. But once they are on their own, they may not know what to do.

Continuous Marketing & Advertising Effort 

Don’t get too complacent on your marketing effort, just because you got your first taste of success it doesn’t stop there. Continue to invest time and money into marketing your business. The hardest part of being a franchisee is to attract and retain new clientele.

Unclear about the Future

Vision is the ultimate cornerstone for an entrepreneur’s success, always have a plan for the future of your business. Go big and go strong, believe in it until you achieve it.

Not Talking to Existing Franchisees

Existing and previous franchisees can offer useful insights and tips on how to successfully run the franchise business. Since they have been doing it for a while, they would be a resource to have.

Don’t Assume and Jump to Conclusions

Don’t assume you know everything and jumping to conclusions, before you make any big decisions, make sure you have data, and research to back it up.

Thinking Bigger is Better

Some franchisees think that the more locations a franchisor have, the more successful they might be. This is not always true.

Always have an Exit Strategy

Like any other business, things may not always go the way we want it to be. Having a backup plan and exit strategy saves you stress and money should things fail.

About The Business Exchange

Established in 1998, The Business Exchange specializes in lead generation in the franchise and business opportunity industry, in print and online. Call us today at 1-877-337-1188 to learn more about our Franchise for Sale listings in Canada and the United States and Request a Quote!

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