The next excerpt is from franchise expert Mark Siebert’s book The Multiplier Model. Buy it now.
I actually have been fortunate enough to have the ability to travel the world extensively. I actually have been to each state in the U.S., almost every province in Canada and dozens of other countries.
Once I travel abroad, one approach to judge how “Western” an economy is involves what number of international franchises you see on the road. Once I tell people I’m a franchise consultant, they often lament how these corporations rob some countries of their culture. And while I like to immerse myself in the local culture of any country I visit, I never feel any regret at the worldwide success of franchising because successful franchises can adapt and deliver their services across a wide selection of shoppers.
International franchises can (and may) adapt to their local customers
The explanation franchises thrive in these cultures is that they do a greater job of meeting their customers’ needs than the companies they supplanted. They bought their products more efficiently and passed those savings along. They experimented with different products to search out out which of them the patron liked best. And, most of all, they provided the client with a consistent brand experience from one market to the subsequent. They delivered on their brand’s promise. The systems they developed and adapted to the local market led to their success.
McDonald’s is a global example of adaptability
Considered one of the things I enjoy when traveling abroad is visiting McDonald’s to see how they’ve adapted to the market. When visiting McDonald’s in other countries, the ingredients used in their products could also be barely different from market to market. Beef, for instance, will probably be locally sourced, and the weight loss program of the cows (grass vs. grain-fed) influences things like marbling and flavor. The identical may be said for McDonald’s potatoes, where different local growing conditions will produce a rather different potato (or may even require a special variety of potato altogether)—identical to growing conditions can affect the grapes which might be used for making wine.
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A few of the things you might find at McDonald’s around the globe that you just likely won’t find in the States include:
- Australia—Gourmet Angus Truffle & Cheese
- Brazil—Pão de Queijo (cheese bread)
- Canada—Poutine; McLobster (lobster roll)
- Chile—Guacamole 2 Carnes (double beef with guacamole); Empanadas Con Queso (empanadas with cheese)
- China—Taro Pie; Mashed Potato Burger (burger topped with bacon and mashed potatoes); Bacon, Macaroni, and Cheese Toastie; Black and White Burgers (twin burgers with white and black buns)
- Costa Rica—McPinto Deluxe (breakfast meal with gallo pinto, a conventional beans and rice dish)
- Egypt—McFalafel (vegan falafel wrap)
- Finland—Chili Cheese Tops (fried dough full of chilies and cheese)
- France—Macarons
- Germany—McNürnburger (made with bratwurst); Beer
- Greece—Greek Mac (burger in pita bread)
- Hong Kong—Rice Implausible (burger with rice patties as a substitute of buns)
- India—McCurry Pan; BigSpicy Paneer Wrap; Maharaja Mac (chicken burger); McAloo Tikki (veggie burger)
- Italy—Spinach and Parmesan Nuggets; Sweety Con Nutella
- Japan—Ebi Filet-O Shrimp Burger; Melon McFloat; McChoco Potato (fries with chocolate sauce); Shaka Shaka Chicken (fried chicken patty with a spice packet); Idaho Burger (burger with bacon and a hash brown patty); Gracoro Burger (macaroni patty, shrimp, and white sauce)
- Korea—Shrimp Beef Burger (beef patty plus shrimp patty)
- Lithuania—Aštrus surio gabaleliai (fried spicy cheese with Chapala hot peppers in a crispy crust)
- Malaysia—Prosperity Burger (long beef or chicken patty with a black pepper sauce); Bubur Ayam McD (an area rice por- ridge)
- Mexico—McMolletes (local version of the McMuffin, with refried beans and pico de gallo)
- Middle East—McArabia (grilled chicken in pita bread)
- Netherlands—McKroket (fried beef and cheese burger)
- Norway—McLaks (salmon burger)
- Philippines—Chicken McDo With McSpaghetti (fried chicken leg with spaghetti and meat sauce)
- Poland—Cordon Bleu Burger (beef patty, chicken patty, and bacon)
- Singapore—Chicken SingaPorridge (congee with fried chicken strips)
- Spain—Gazpacho
- Sweden—McPlant Burger (McDonald’s is testing its first plant-based burger here)
- Turkey—McTurco (kebab meat in a pita)
- United Kingdom—Bacon Roll; Mozzarella Dippers
- Uruguay—Pancake Helado (pancake full of dulce de leche and topped with vanilla ice cream)
- Venezuela—Empanadas
- And the list goes on.
Even inside the US, there are differences in regional offerings:
- Alaska features the McKinley Mac, a good Greater Mac with two quarter-pound beef patties.
- In some southern states, you’ll be able to get biscuits and gravy.
- The McLobster, mentioned above, is obtainable in Recent England in the summer.
- Hawaii features the Peach Mango Pie and likewise offers Spam for many who wish to partake at breakfast.
- And bratwurst has been offered in some locations in Wisconsin.
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The brand just isn’t the product
And while the McDonald’s case study holds some useful lessons for those seeking to adapt their concepts to foreign markets, there is maybe a far more profound lesson underlying these product offerings: The brand just isn’t the product.
Nobody ever questions the consistency of the brand because McDonald’s takes such care in choosing suppliers and preparing their products. But more necessary, McDonald’s knows that its brand is greater than its food. McDonald’s, which is understood for its hamburgers, doesn’t sell beef (or pork, for that matter) in its 350 locations in India (despite the fact that some Indian states allow it), where about 50 percent of the menu is vegetarian. Yet the McDonald’s brand stays one in every of the strongest in the world (and in India) despite these product line differences.
What exactly is the brand and the brand promise?
Over time, I actually have heard stories of Ray Kroc’s visits to his franchisees. He would often start by patrolling the parking zone, picking up each bit of litter and unceremoniously piling it on the counter while he waited for the franchisee to look for his inevitable rebuke. His message: McDonald’s core values. were quality, service, cleanliness and value. And no franchisee had higher forget it.
Ultimately, it isn’t the product, the design, or the name. The brand is the promise of a consistent experience from one Money Machine to the subsequent. And it is advisable deliver on that promise if you happen to want the continued business that can allow your machine to grow.
Related: Find Out Which Brands Have Ranked on the Franchise 500 for Longest, Earning a Spot In our Recent ‘Hall of Fame’
Start with The Multiplier Model
Going from small business to successful startup to scalable growth takes greater than just good luck. It takes a system. During the last 34 years, franchising consultant and growth expert Mark Siebert has been sought out by greater than 70,000 executives seeking to expand their corporations. Out of those 70,000, only 5,000 had the proper systems in place to go from successful to scalable. In The Multiplier Model, Siebert discusses the aspects that determine if an entrepreneur is able to scale their enterprise — and one of the best ways to start. Read more.