Franchising abroad: three webinars from Federfranchising

Federfranchising presents ‘The Compass for International Expansion’, a series of three webinars for franchise networks considering growth abroad. The sessions will take place on 10, 17 and 24 November 2026, each at 14:30, and will cover three distinct stages: preparing the organisation, choosing a partner and supporting a network from a distance.

A programme to follow before choosing a market

Announced on 29 October, the initiative gives Italy’s franchising community an opportunity to assess its readiness before launching an international project. Its starting point is practical: the idea of opening abroad may stem from a corporate strategy, a search for growth beyond the Italian market or an enquiry from another country. The programme encourages businesses not to turn that initial impetus straight into an operational decision.

The three sessions will be led by Lorenza Nasini, an international franchising and retail consultant with more than 25 years’ experience managing and developing international networks across four continents, working from the head office side of the business.

Each session will last around 40 minutes, combining real-life case studies, practical guidance and time for questions at the end. Although designed for franchise networks, Federfranchising notes that much of the content is also relevant to brands planning to open company-owned shops abroad. The focus will therefore be on the organisational and commercial decisions that precede and accompany entry into a new market.

10 November: assessing head office readiness

The first module, ‘Before You Pack Your Bags’, is scheduled for Tuesday 10 November at 14:30. It will explore what needs to be in place before a business even chooses the country in which to expand.

The programme covers whether the business format can be replicated, a profit and loss model that the partner can adapt to their market, trade mark registration and an organisational structure capable of supporting the network. Other factors to assess include the time and budget allocated to the international project.

The choice of destination will be considered alongside an assessment of the market and how different it is from Italy. Another topic will be how a product’s price changes when it crosses a border, linking the commercial proposition to its viability in a different setting.

The proposed sequence thus separates two assessments: the appeal of a country and head office’s practical ability to support expansion. The first session will begin with the latter before moving on to the choice of an initial market.

17 November: entry models and partner selection

The second session, ‘Travelling Companions’, will take place on Tuesday 17 November at 14:30. It will focus on the partner and the terms of the working relationship, starting with the various market entry options available.

The programme compares master franchising, area development, direct franchising and joint ventures. It will also consider other routes, such as concessions in department stores, wholesale and company-owned shops. The stated aim is to help businesses choose the right model for their project.

Partner assessment will cover financial strength, organisational structure, people and knowledge of the local market, including commercial property. Key contractual clauses will also be discussed.

This part of the programme will draw on real-life case studies from several markets, with experiences spanning Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. The comparison will therefore go beyond contractual arrangements to examine the capabilities of the partner responsible for developing and managing the brand’s local presence.

24 November: supporting the network after opening

The third module, ‘Staying on Course’, is scheduled for Tuesday 24 November at 14:30 and will address remote network management. Following head office preparation and partner selection, attention will turn to maintaining the day-to-day working relationship.

Topics announced include visits, performance indicators to monitor, training and communication with both the partner and the shops. The programme will also address building a lasting relationship and the steps to consider when a market is not performing as expected.

Together, the three sessions form a programme running from the initial readiness assessment through to oversight of operations after entry into an overseas market. For interested Italian networks, the practical message is to begin with an internal review: the business format, resources, trade mark and capacity to provide support should all be assessed before committing to a market or a partner.