Franchise Expo Paris, the largest international franchising exhibition, will be back for its next edition from 15 to 17 March 2025 at Paris Porte de Versailles.
Press release - November 2024
Franchise Expo Paris, the largest international franchising exhibition, will be back for its next edition from 15 to 17 March 2025 at Paris Porte de Versailles. During today’s press launch, it was revealed that an OpinionWay survey conducted on behalf of the French Franchising Federation1 found that nearly one in two French employees are thinking about a career change. At a time where employment journeys are becoming less linear, many workers are looking for a fresh start, and among the solutions at their disposal, they are increasingly considering franchising.
Offering both independence and security, franchising arrives in second place in the preferences proposed by the survey, ahead of social entrepreneurship, taking over an existing business or founding a start-up. Franchise Expo Paris is positioned as the unavoidable venue where future business owners can get answers to their questions in their search of a change of life.
Franchise Expo Paris, the catalyst for future career switchers
Despite a mediocre year for new business creation, owing to an unstable economic and political environment, the majority of French people still harbour a desire to change careers. According to the OpinionWay survey on behalf of the French Franchising Federation,1 a full 37% of employees have already considered or gone ahead with a change of career to become their own boss, and many of them see franchising as an opportunity to bring their entrepreneurial plans to fruition.
This trend can be explained by the solidity of the franchising model, which offers a reassuring framework thanks to structured support and proven know-how.
Franchise Expo Paris is positioned as the international go-to showcase for business creation, with more than 30,000 visitors expected, including more than 1,700 from outside France, hailing from 75 countries. The show has set itself the mission of supporting all project developers, whatever their profile, to help them accomplish their desire to create or develop their business. Thanks to discussions with franchisers, visitors will be able to better understand the challenges and advantages of the model, while also discovering inspirational success stories. Talks, workshops, and meetings with experts will also be organised to guide them on every step of their journey.
“More than just a career choice, franchising offers a chance to buy into a solid business model while maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit,” said Véronique Discours-Buhot, chief executive of the FFF.
“I’m delighted to introduce this new edition of Franchise Expo Paris, which is already looking really promising. Like every year, we have set up a whole array of tools and events to offer our visitors and exhibitors a rewarding experience. I hope that these initiatives will bring about even more excitement, create decisive meetings and lead to the accomplishment of many projects,” said Sylvie Gaudy, exhibition director.
For this new edition, the unavoidable franchising event is back with more than 600 exhibitors from 90 different business vectors, divided into 10 sector-themed zones.
Franchise Expo Paris, a unique venue for meeting and dialogue for all franchise stakeholders
In addition to the Agora, the main live content forum, the two workshop zones, five pitch theatres and the Franchise Expo Live TV studio stage for live programmes on entrepreneurship and franchising, the exhibition this year is laying on a brand new space called Meet & Speak. Designed as a meeting forum, it is an area where candidates can hold face-to-face interviews with franchisees to find out more about their personal story and experience, and about the functioning of their chosen franchise brand.
Another new development this year is the Community Attractivity Village, with the presence of ten exhibiting towns and communities. This space aims to facilitate discussions between visitors looking to set up a city-centre business, and communities in search of new commercial opportunities to revitalise their town centre.
With regard to special events and highlights, awards ceremony will once again feature regularly during the show: the Révélations de la franchise® will distinguish young, innovative and promising networks, while the Rubans de la Franchise reward those that work to develop and promote the franchising activity. The Master Franchise Summit will bring together master franchisees and investors looking for new opportunities in France or abroad, and the Multi-Unit Forum will allow brands the chance to present their concept to franchisees looking to expand into new projects.
Franchise Expo Paris 2025, a genuine project accelerator for entrepreneurs
For many visitors, coming to the show is a decisive step in the formulation of their project. This is borne out by figures from the last edition, where 56% of visitors were looking for a career change, whether they were job seekers or already in employment.
Raphaël Villet, future Del Arte franchisee
After rising through the ranks as an employee in mass retail, Raphaël Villet decided to set up in business and chose franchising to do so. Several of his friends and acquaintances had already tried launching their own business without calling on an established brand, and met with serious difficulties. As a result, he concluded that the franchising model would be the best way of becoming an entrepreneur. He contacted several brands and visited Franchise Expo Paris in March 2024, where he met the Del Arte setup. Following several discussions with the network management, he signed his franchising agreement, and is buying out a store in Chalon-sur-Saône, where he will officially take over in early 2025.
Sosthène Brou, future Casino Proximité franchisee
Having worked as a primary school teacher in Côte d’Ivoire, Sosthène Brou decided to change careers on his arrival in France in 2007, and became a fire safety officer.
He discovered franchising though a TV report, and immediately found this business model appealing. He decided to take the plunge and made his first visit to Franchise Expo Paris in 2023. But, considering he was not yet ready, he opted to give himself more time to work on his project. He then came back for another visit in 2024, where he was won over by Casino. Living at the time in the Paris area, he took the bold step of dropping everything and moving to another region to launch his project. He is set to open his Casino Proximité supermarket near Bordeaux, with his wife, in the first quarter of 2025.
Franchise Expo Paris in figures:
- 160 talks, workshops and pitches
- 25+ exhibiting nationalities
- 90+ sectors of activity represented
- 30,000+ visitors expected including 1,700 from outside France
- 500+ brands including 100 from abroad
- 600+ exhibitors
- 100+ experts from the FFF, financing institutions, towns and local authorities, specialists in business creation support
(1) OpinionWay survey for French Franchising Federation: “Employees and career changes – between temptation and apprehension” – November 2024 – sample of 1,319 people surveyed
About the French Franchising Federation
A major player in the dynamism of the French economy, the French Franchising Federation is the professional federation of franchisors and their franchisees since 1971. It represents the franchising model, a model of entrepreneurship based on the transfer of know-how and the sharing of value. Its role is to promote, defend and perpetuate the franchise model, but also to federate its ecosystem and create the tools and the environment for the development and performance of franchise networks. In 1981, the French Franchise Federation created the Franchise Expo Paris exhibition, which has since become a major annual international franchising event.
In France, franchising accounts for 1,972 networks, 84,497 franchised outlets, for a turnover of more than 76.6 billion euros. The activity generates 828,178 jobs (direct and indirect). In 2009, the FFF created the Acadélmie de la Franchise, the first training organisation for franchising professions, whose services are aimed at future franchisees, but also to future and current franchisors.
Find out more at: www.franchise-fff.com
About Infopro Digital
Infopro Digital is a B2B group specializing in information and technology. Ranked as the 8th largest technology group in France, the group is present in 18 countries and employs nearly 4,000 people. Its innovative solutions are aimed at professional communities in five key economic sectors: Construction & Public Sector, Automotive, Risk & Insurance, Industry, and Retail. Thanks to the group’s sector-specific expertise, Infopro Digital covers all the needs of professionals. Its solutions enable decision-makers to make informed decisions and companies to sustainably develop their business and performance.
Find out more at: www.infopro-digital.com
About Tous entrepreneurs
This media dedicated to entrepreneurship and franchising has been designed to allow entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners to find all the information they need to build and develop their project all year round. They can find testimonials, practical advice, expert opinions and all useful information on business creation.
This media platform, which is affiliated to the Franchise Expo Paris exhibition, also focuses on franchising and its advantages.
Find out more at: www.tousentrepreneurs.com
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