How to Start a Franchise in India

The first step in starting a franchise in India is deciding on the city where it will be launched. It is advisable to start off with locations such as Mumbai, Bangalore, and New Delhi that are in better economic positions than Patna or Puri.

The infrastructure of these cities is better and the clients have higher levels of dispensable income. The disadvantage of opening a franchise in these cities is that they have saturated markets and the premium payment is bigger compared to a second tier city.

Steps required to be taken to open a franchise

Determining the niche

The entrepreneurs should have a clear idea of where they will like to start their operations. Normally in India restaurants, after sales computer services, consumer goods outlets, and printing and documentation services are regarded as the best options for starting a franchise.

It is better to operate in a field where the owners have some experience. Otherwise, they can also hire experienced employees or managers. It is advisable to go for established names such as Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions or Subway Restaurants while opening a franchise if the entrepreneur does not have sufficient financial resources.

Completing the formalities

Anybody opening a franchise in India needs to register themselves with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs after the initial agreement with the franchise provider. If the franchisee is from outside India, they can get in touch with international brokers such as Franchise International Inc. They can seek assistance from international brokers in the following business related paperwork, on the basis of the franchise’s size and kind:

• ownership
• licensing
• registration

International businessmen looking to start a franchise in India will be better off without starting operations if they are unwilling to stay here or at least, visit it on a regular basis.

Human resource requirements

It is important for a new franchisee to understand the number of employees that will be required at various stages of operation. The owners also need to know the exact roles of their employees. They can also enlist the services of consulting services or employment agencies for recruiting the right people for different positions.

Paying Taxes

It is important for a franchise owner to pay his taxes on a regular basis and fulfill other mandatory reporting commitments on definite intervals. If it is an international owner then he will also have to comply with similar regulations in his country of residence.

In case the franchise owner is based in the US, he will need to look up IRS publications on a regular basis so that he can get the latest information on the cutoff level applicable for businessmen operating outside the country.

In case they hold shares in a franchise in India they will need to comply with these requirements as well. They can also employ the services of professional accountants who have sufficient knowledge and experience in such areas.

Managing currency risks

This is applicable for international businessmen running franchises in India. Their first investment is normally done in international currency while the initial earnings are in INR. There is a risk in these cases that the INR might lose value with respect to an international currency.

They can adopt some protection against these risks by short selling futures valued in INR or investing small amounts in the futures markets of their respective countries. However, in case of currencies that are worth more than the INR, such protection is not always required.

Leading Franchise Opportunities in India

Following are some of the companies that are providing franchise opportunities in India:

• Reverse Logistics Company Pvt Ltd
• Anshu’s Clothing Pvt Ltd
• Change Lifestyle Pvt Ltd
• Vidyalankar Educational Services
• Om Ganeshaya Food & Beverages Pvt Ltd
• EuroKids International
• Braintrain
• Indiacan Education Pvt Ltd
• Sykes & Ray Equities (I) Ltd
• Zee Learn
• SS Group of Colleges
• T.I.M.E. Kids
• DTDC Courier & Cargo Ltd
• Marshalls Wallpaper
• Trends In Vogue Private Limited
• Elixir Training Services Pvt Ltd
• Radiant Consumer Appliances
• The Solar Shoppe
• Helen O’grady International
• AISECT Ltd
• US Dollar Store Inc
• ClubLaptop
• Refeel Cartridge Engineering

Franchise Opportunities in India – approximate costs

The following table lists some companies offering franchise opportunities in India and the approximate expenses involved:

Company name	Industry	Costs involved (in INR lakhs)
Little Angels Fun House	Play school and activity center	05/10/12
Café Buddy’s	Food and beverages	02/05/12
Express Car Wash	Automotive	10/20/12
Alma Limited	Education training	INR 10,000-50,000
Goodyear Floor Mats USA	Automotive	05/10/12
Blossoms	Play school and activity center	02/05/12
Rent Me Toy	Children’s products and services	02/05/12
VLCC	Healthcare and fitness	20-30
Hello Kids	Play school and activity center	02/05/12
Sanda Wellness	Healthcare and fitness	05/10/12
Morpheus Consulting	Consulting	INR 10,000-50,000
Water Care Services	Business services	02/05/12
VIPSEAL Tyre Sealant	Automotive	05/10/12
Leonidas-India	Food and beverages	20-30
Speed Car Wash	Automotive	05/10/12
Lolipop	Clothing	10/20/12
Siyaram Silk Mills Ltd	Clothing	10/20/12
Pune University & ETH Research Lab-Joint Program	Education training	INR 50,000-2 lakhs
Café Espresso	Food and beverages	05/10/12
Apna Kendra, Prexo, Om Ramdhenu Exim Pvt Ltd	Dealers and distributors	INR 1 crore – 2 crore
Etech Computer Education	Education training	INR 10,000-50,000
SmartQ India	Education training	INR 10,000-50,000
Gelato Vinto	Food and beverages	05/10/12
Ekohealth Management Consultants	Health care and fitness	INR 10,000-50,000

Last Updated on May 13, 2015