Taiwan franchise association sets ‘1,000 brands, 10,000 professionals’ target to support overseas expansion

Marking its 30th anniversary, the Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan has made talent development a key priority in supporting brands’ overseas expansion. At World Franchise Night 2026, held in Nangang, Taipei, on 2 October 2026, chairman Wu Yung-chiang announced a target of ‘1,000 brands, 10,000 professionals’. The ambition is to help more Taiwanese brands expand abroad by developing people with an international outlook.

From a membership network to talent development

According to the Liberty Times, the association currently has more than 800 member companies across 110 business categories and has helped nearly 200 Taiwanese brands enter 46 countries worldwide. These figures reflect its existing membership network and overseas promotion work, providing context for the new talent development target.

‘1,000 brands, 10,000 professionals’ is a development target, not an achievement already reached. Wu said the association hopes to nurture internationally minded professionals who can help more brands expand overseas. For franchise businesses considering cross-border growth, the focus is not simply on the number of brands, but also on the skills needed to sustain operations abroad.

Technology is reshaping operations, but collaboration remains central

Wu noted that artificial intelligence, digital technology, sustainability and changing consumer behaviour are rapidly reshaping the operating environment for franchise businesses. Yet people remain at the heart of chain and franchise operations, while collaboration is a vital force behind Taiwanese brands’ international growth.

He also attributed the association’s development over the past 30 years to the combined efforts of successive generations of partners. He thanked central and local government, as well as industry partners, for their support in international exchange, business improvement, talent development and overseas expansion. The newly announced direction places people and collaboration alongside brand expansion, rather than focusing solely on increasing the number of overseas outlets.

World Franchise Night brings together brands and international buyers

The anniversary event coincided with the world and Asia-Pacific franchise annual meetings in Taiwan. Around 2,000 people attended a banquet with 200 tables, with participants from 26 countries. They included franchise industry representatives, international buyers, Taiwanese chain brands, listed companies and supply chain partners.

World Franchise Night also formed part of a programme of franchise networking events that October. The Taiwan World Franchise Expo, held from 2 to 5 October, together with international forums and business matchmaking sessions, provided opportunities for brands to meet overseas participants. Announced in this setting, the talent development target reflects the association’s continuing emphasis on international exchange.

Anniversary honours recognise long-term commitment and structured management

At the event, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim honoured directors, supervisors and representatives for their long-standing contributions to the association and the franchise sector. Chen Mi-shun, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Administration of Commerce, recognised ‘Capital Market Benchmark Enterprises’. These awards highlighted how Taiwanese chain brands have grown from small and medium-sized businesses through structured management practices and gradually moved into the capital markets.

For brands and franchisees preparing to expand overseas, the practical lesson is to assess their teams’ cross-border management, training and collaboration capabilities alongside market opportunities. Evaluating workforce readiness together with expansion plans offers a clearer basis for deciding the next step than looking at brand size alone.