Top 11 Franchise Opportunities in Australia

Franchises play an important role in the Australian economy. Money Magazine reports that Australia has three times as many franchise outlets per capita as the US. That represents about 4% of the national economy.

Additionally, Australian franchises employ over half a million people and generate $181.8 billion in annual revenue.

There are clear reasons why so many entrepreneurs choose franchises. 

Starting and running a new business is stressful. In the recent Federal Budget, $15.1 million has been earmarked for small business mental health and financial counselling programs.

Joining a franchise has many advantages that lead to lower stress. For example, business plans and endless paperwork are no longer concerns as a head office handles this for you.

It’s why franchises are considered relatively safe compared to starting a new business or brand from scratch. But which franchise should you choose? 

Let’s take a look at 11 of the most successful franchises in Australia.

1. Bakers Delight

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in Australia who hasn’t heard of this famous bakery franchise.

Founded in 1980 and with an incredible 700+ locations throughout Australia, Bakers Delight represents one of the key reasons many join a franchise - a proven business model that almost guarantees success.

This is an expensive franchise to join, with costs ranging from $500,000-900,000, but this reflects the ten-year agreement terms as well as guaranteed revenue. 

2. Battery World

Battery World was founded in 1997 in Queensland and now has a network of more than 110 stores in Australia, with a comprehensive product library of over 14,000 battery products. 

This is a relatively low-cost franchise to join at $300,000, and this fee covers everything from the establishment fee to consultancy fees and fit-out costs. There’s also a six-week comprehensive training program.

Many prospective franchisees are attracted to Battery World because of its long agreement terms of 12 years.

3. Billy’s Buddies

This is a great franchise to join if you’re looking for something that not only is a proven, profitable business model but also contributes socially to Australia.

Billy’s Buddies was founded in 2016 by Billy Slater and has blossomed into 200 programs around Australia in a few short years.  Children between the ages of two and six can learn basic ball skills through the Billy’s Buddies program.

Some of the great advantages to this franchise are a low barrier to entry (around $15,000 plus GST), a complete turnkey system with stock packs and necessary supplies, and a three-day training program that educates on marketing, coaching, program management, and administration. 

Prospective franchisees also love the low overheads associated with running this franchise. Agreement terms are five years with renewal. 

4. Computer Troubleshooters Australia

The IT sector has seen unprecedented growth, especially with the recent high-profile data breaches, which are motivating the Federal Government to consider new laws that force businesses to do more to protect customer and employee data.

Founded in 1999 with over 80 locations and headquarters in Bentleigh, Victoria, Computer Troubleshooters Australia offers you the simplest way to get into the ever-growing IT sector.

Prospective franchisees are attracted by the relatively low start-up costs and overheads, ongoing sales and marketing support and resources, and automated in-house office and admin billing system.

The biggest advantage is the brand name. Computer Troubleshooters Australia is a well-known brand that the Australian public trust, almost guaranteeing success. 

Expect franchise fees to start at around $250,000. 

5. HomeCaring

HomeCaring, headquartered in Smithfield, New South Wales, was founded relatively recently in 2015 with a vision of provisioning exceptional at-home care for the elderly and infirm. 

It has around 13 locations but is looking to scale rapidly to 200 locations by 2030. Because of this, it offers franchise opportunities that go beyond the average.

The most exciting aspect is the 50/50 cost and profit split model offered to franchisees that use a joint bank account for all financials.

It also offers an unlimited agreement term for an $80,000 to $120,000 fee - value for money compared with other franchise agreements. 

HomeCaring provides the opportunity to join a growing franchise in its early years. 

6. Hudsons Coffee

Another thriving food service franchise, Hudsons Coffee, was founded in 1998 in Port Melbourne, Victoria. Since then, it has grown to 80 locations in Australia and is so successful that Emirates bought it in 2009.

Franchise fees are relatively expensive compared to some of the other franchise opportunities on this list at around $300,000 to $500,000. 

However, the cost reflects the ten-year agreement terms, set-up, recruitment, training, and equipment costs, and the brand recognition Hudsons Coffee enjoys in Australia.

The most exciting aspect of this franchise is airport access, where coffee shops generate a lot of revenue from a captive audience. 

7. Just Cuts

Founded in 1980 and with over 190 locations, Just Cuts is Australia's number one hair and beauty service brand. Its success has allowed them to expand beyond the borders into New Zealand and the UK, bringing its number of locations worldwide to 230. 

Prospective franchisees love the proven turnkey business model, point of service tools and training, digitalised platform and eLearning tool, ‘grand opening’ personalised marketing campaign, a retail rewards program, and ongoing support.

The biggest draw, however, is the relatively low fixed franchise fee of $85,000 to $260,000, depending on the size of the salon, which means the opportunity to run multiple salons. Over 50% of Just Cut franchisees have more than one salon.

8. Laser Clinic Australia

An award-winning company founded in 2008 in Sydney, New South Wales, Laser Clinic Australia now boasts 150 locations across Australia and New Zealand. Its success has expanded beyond laser hair removal into skin treatments and cosmetic injectables. 

A pro for prospective franchisees is that franchise costs (around $290,000-400,000) include equipment, retail stock, IT, HR, and legal support, and comprehensive training for its products and services. 

The biggest advantage, however, is Laser Clinic Australia’s 50/50 split in set-up costs and a base remuneration of $100,000 from day one. Expect five-year agreement terms (option to renew after five years). 

9. Pack & Send

This logistics franchise was founded in 1993 in Sydney, New South Wales, and has grown to over 130 locations in Australia. 

Expect an average franchise fee of around $180,000 to $270,000 (plus working capital) with ten-year agreement terms. 

The biggest Pack & Send perk is a guarantee of minimum customer numbers in the first year. It even backs this up with a promise to pay franchisees if they get fewer customers than projected. 

10. PowerfulPoints 

This is another great demonstration of a proven business model that makes franchises attractive.

Founded in 2003 in Crows Nest, New South Wales, PowerfulPoints boasts major international clients such as McDonald’s and Hermes, with over 10 locations nationwide.

Ideal franchisees are talented graphic designers who want to work for themselves under a well-known brand name. 

You can expect a four-week induction program and two-hour coaching sessions for the first 22 weeks included in the franchise fee (starting from $80,000). 

The biggest advantage is the realistic target revenue of $1,000,000, which is extremely attractive for enterprising graphic designers. Expect five-year agreement terms. 

11. Total Tools

The leading tool retailer throughout Australia, Total Tools was founded in 1989 in Port Melbourne, Victoria, and now has 80 locations across Australia, offering a huge catalogue of over 60,000 products. 

The franchise fee may set you back between $1.7-2 million, but Total Tools boasts a 22% growth over their competition, and you can get a lucrative slice of that action. 

You’ll also enjoy a full branded store set-up and ongoing support for finances, construction, marketing, IT, and online and offline sales. It even offers help securing 50% of set-up costs via banks. 

Expect ten-year agreement terms plus 2.5% of the turnover as admin fees. 

Joining a franchise - is it for you?

As you can see, there are many pros to joining a franchise. Typical startup headaches are eliminated, such as creating a brand, building credibility and reputation, etc.

Instead, you can ‘piggyback’ onto an existing model of success with support along your journey. 

The main stumbling blocks, however, are choosing the right franchise and understanding the franchise buying process. Look for a reputable, trustworthy marketplace with thousands of listings in various industries, locations and prices.                                                                               You want a franchise opportunity that fits your needs, so you need a platform that makes it easy to shop around and whittle down options to leave only the perfect matches.

Also, look for a platform that has facilitated thousands of franchise-buying transactions for peace of mind.

Lastly, as a busy entrepreneur, a one-stop portal that brings together all the resources you need under one roof, such as financial advice, legal advice, networking opportunities, expert help with the franchise-buying process, etc., is a boon. 

Joining a franchise can be the key to job satisfaction and financial independence, but only when you choose the right franchise with expert help at every turn. 

Who we are

Eden Exchange is an integrated multi-channel platform, simplifying business buying and selling. We match, refer and connect business buyers, sellers & brokers in an ecosystem that facilitates frictionless franchise, business and finance transactions. Visit www.EdenExchange.com and connect with our engaged and multidimensional transaction network today.