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ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh.

‘Like an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff’: ACCC cracks down on bad franchises

The competition watchdog is flexing its policing powers over the franchising sector – but has warned prospective franchisees to do their homework.

  • Jessica Yun

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El Jannah’s chief marketing officer, Adam Issa, with some of its food.

‘We are not selling out’: El Jannah’s new investor is a $180 billion US giant

The wildly popular Lebanese chicken chain has a deep-pocketed new backer to help it conquer Australia, and then its cultural motherland, Lebanon.

  • Jessica Yun
Chatime has ordered its stores to pull the sale of light-up cups due to non-compliant packaging.

Better oversight needed of franchising industry

Australia’s franchising sector employs about 520,000 people and contributes more than $135 billion to the economy each year.

  • The Herald's View
Several former Chatime operators claim the global beverage giant has left them tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

‘Trapped’, ‘traumatised’ Chatime franchisees sound warning as they flee bubble tea chain

Several former bubble tea store operators claim the global beverage giant has left them tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

  • Jessica Yun
Strong Pilates co-founders Michael Ramsey (left) and Mark Armstrong.

Ex-F45 fitness founders having a crack at luring Pilates’ toughest crowd: men

Former F45 studio owners Michael Ramsey and Mark Armstrong got ahead of the Pilates boom – and are starting to crack gender stereotypes.

  • Jessica Yun
Actor Mark Wahlberg and F45’s former chief executive Adam Gilchrist.

What collapse? How F45 Australia is plotting a comeback

New management at the helm of F45, once a trailblazer in the global fitness industry, is keen to move past the fitness empire’s spectacular rise and fall.

  • Jessica Yun
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The essentials: whole charcoal chicken meal with Lebanese pickles, bread, tabouli, garlic dip, and fries.

From Granville to the Australian Open: Inside El Jannah’s ascent to cult chicken chain

It took more than a decade for Lebanese charcoal chicken chain El Jannah to open its second store, but it’s on track to have 100 in two years. Here’s how it got there.

  • Jessica Yun
A Lord of the Fries outlet.

Despite Tolkien to their lawyers, Middle-earth is not lord of the courtroom

Australian vegan burger chain Lord of the Fries does battle with the Lord of the Rings franchise in a legal dispute over the three words they both share in their name.

  • Alexander Darling
Greg Norman was on track to receive “annual compensation” from F45.

Greg Norman settles legal brawl with Mark Wahlberg-backed F45

The struggling Aussie fitness franchise has finally ended the acrimony over its multimillion-dollar celebrity endorsements.

  • Colin Kruger
Sharetea Australia has won exclusive rights to the brand in Australia for an unlimited term.

Bubble tea battle: Sharetea Australia ‘very happy’ after three-year fight against Taiwanese giant

Sharetea Australia has gained the exclusive rights to use the brand in the country – but it faces ongoing battles with disgruntled franchisees.

  • Jessica Yun