Kukec after Taipei: preparing Croatian franchises for international expansion

Following her participation in October’s World Franchise Council meeting and Taiwan International Franchise Show in Taipei, Ljiljana Kukec says the success of Croatian franchises abroad depends on understanding the local market, rather than primarily on how far away it is. In a commentary published on Poslovni FM on 11 November 2026, she stresses the importance of preparing the business model, protecting the trade mark and testing assumptions before making a substantial investment.

Lessons from Taiwan for Croatian brands

Kukec used the two international franchise events to explore a question central to Croatia’s franchise community: how to prepare a business that works successfully at home for customers and partners in another market. Her core message is that domestic success does not automatically translate across borders.

In her commentary, she presents Taiwan as an example of a relatively small market that has learnt to export business concepts. Her best-known example is bubble tea, a drink originating in Taiwan that is now sold through franchised outlets across Asia, Europe and North America, including in Croatia.

For Croatian brands, the key point is not the product itself, but the lesson it offers about the potential for international growth. According to Kukec, a small domestic market need not be a barrier to expansion. What matters more is how willing the franchisor is to understand a new market and adapt its operations to local conditions.

Her commentary is therefore not an announcement of a specific Croatian franchise opening in Taiwan, but a call for more systematic preparation before taking franchise models abroad. The focus is on the steps that should precede expansion, rather than simply finding a new location or partner.

Think internationally early, but do not rush

Kukec warns that a franchise network operating in Croatia, a market of fewer than four million people, can reach the limits of domestic growth relatively quickly. Brands with ambitions for substantial expansion should therefore start thinking about overseas markets earlier than franchisors from larger countries.

She draws a clear distinction, however, between planning early and rushing. Her message is that preparation for international operations should be built into a franchise’s development from the outset. This does not mean entering a foreign market immediately, but designing a business model that can later be transferred elsewhere.

The first step is to document know-how. Kukec stresses that experience held solely in the founder’s head is not enough to transfer a business model to a distant partner. A franchise manual, training and clear standards are therefore prerequisites for international expansion.

This approach emphasises the ability to transfer a way of working, not just a brand name. For Croatia’s franchise community, that is an important distinction: international ambition must be backed by documented guidance and support that a partner can use in day-to-day operations.

Protect the trade mark and assess the market before investing

Among the practical steps, Kukec singles out trade mark protection in the target market. She recommends securing it before the brand is discussed publicly in that market. Protecting the brand’s identity should therefore be an early preparatory task, rather than something addressed only once an expansion agreement is in place.

She considers first-hand knowledge of the market equally important. This includes talking to local partners and customers, studying costs and checking regulations. The starting point should not be an assumption that what works in Zagreb will work unchanged in Taipei.

A pilot outlet provides a practical test during this preparation. According to Kukec, it reveals what needs refining before a larger investment is made. This grounds the expansion decision in experience of operating in the specific market, rather than relying solely on domestic results.

These steps form a connected process: protect the brand, understand the operating environment and then test the model in practice. The emphasis is on testing assumptions before rolling out the network more widely.

Maintain standards while allowing for local implementation

Kukec sees one of the franchisor’s most important tasks as striking a balance between maintaining standards and enabling partners to apply them in their own markets. The franchise manual should provide clear guidance, but it cannot replace an understanding of local customers.

In this approach, adaptation is not the opposite of standardisation. The message is that franchisors should safeguard their core operating standards while understanding the conditions in which partners put them into practice. This is where documentation, local discussions and experience gained from a pilot outlet come together.

Practical takeaway: before looking for an overseas partner, document your business know-how, prepare training and check your trade mark protection. Base any major investment decision on an understanding of local customers, costs and regulations, supported by a practical test of the model.