World Franchise Council Returns to Taiwan as Delegates from 26 Countries Discuss 2026–2030 Strategy

The World Franchise Council’s annual meeting returned to Taiwan after a 12-year absence. On 30 September 2026, nearly 60 national franchise association leaders and other delegates from 26 countries gathered in Taipei to discuss future cooperation. For Taiwan’s franchising community, the focus went beyond taking brands overseas: it also explored how education, practical exchanges and international collaboration could build a foundation for lasting partnerships.

Five-year strategy takes centre stage

According to event coverage dated 30 September, the Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan hosted both the Asia-Pacific Franchise Confederation and World Franchise Council annual meetings this year. The Asia-Pacific meeting on 29 September drew delegates from 13 countries, while the following day’s global meeting broadened participation to 26 countries.

The World Franchise Council provides a platform for national franchise associations to exchange knowledge and cooperate. Its Taipei meeting focused on the 2026–2030 strategic plan, covering global best practice, education and international cooperation. Breakout discussions aimed to turn ideas put forward by participating countries into more concrete projects and follow-up actions.

Available reports outlined the strategic priorities and meeting format but did not provide full project details, implementation timetables or performance measures. The meeting is therefore best understood as a step towards closer international collaboration, rather than confirmation that all proposed initiatives are in place.

Taiwan’s outlet network provides a backdrop for discussion

During the meeting, the Commerce Development Research Institute reported that Taiwan has more than 2,800 chain brands and nearly 119,000 outlets. From round-the-clock convenience stores and breakfast shops to bubble tea businesses, this dense retail and foodservice network provides an important backdrop for exchanges between Taiwan’s franchising community and overseas delegates.

These figures describe the overall scale of Taiwan’s chain brands and outlets; they should not be treated as counts of franchise brands or franchised outlets. For brands preparing to enter overseas markets, market scale offers a starting point for discussion, but it does not demonstrate overseas demand or the effectiveness of partnerships.

The meeting programme also covered cross-border brand expansion, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, extending the discussion beyond outlet numbers to how brands manage and support their operations.

From association-level dialogue to brand contacts

Under the published programme, the international meetings will be followed by a global chain business summit, informal cross-border brand strategy discussions and international business matchmaking sessions. These activities are intended to connect association-level discussions with direct contact between brands.

A franchise exhibition at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2, from 2 to 5 October is also part of the follow-up programme. In addition, a “World Night” international networking dinner is planned for the evening of 2 October, with around 2,000 participants expected, including brand representatives, association members, international buyers and guests from participating countries.

These events offer opportunities to meet potential partners, but attendance, business matchmaking and signed agreements represent different stages. Available information does not identify any deals or partnerships resulting from this World Franchise Council meeting, so the scale of the networking programme should not be mistaken for realised business opportunities.

Practical focus: track follow-up projects, not just the event’s profile

For Taiwan’s franchising community, the key question is how the five-year strategy will translate into accessible education programmes, practical knowledge-sharing and international projects. Brands interested in following up can first ask the organising association about forthcoming activities, then assess how to participate in light of their target markets and operational capabilities.

Practical tip: before attending a networking event, clarify your target markets, the support your head office can provide and the type of partnership you are seeking. Afterwards, confirm each contact’s role, the proposed scope of cooperation and the timetable for next steps, giving international discussions a clear basis for follow-up.