Singapore - Franchising Singapore - Franchising
Singapore is home to a wide variety of franchise concepts. Foreign franchises are well received and the United States is by far the largest supplier of foreign franchises in the country. There are American franchises in practically every industry. McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Shake Shack, Krispy Kreme, Subway, Starbucks, Ben and Jerry’s, Gymboree, New Horizons, Avis, Toys R Us, Comfort Keepers, Contours Express and many others have operations in Singapore.
Although the market is saturated, Singaporeans continue to seek out fresh franchise concepts to introduce into the country. The success of selling a franchise in Singapore is based on a number of factors, including brand name, up-front costs and royalties, the concept’s uniqueness, and the flexibility of the franchise agreement. U.S. franchisors should note that real estate in Singapore is prohibitively expensive and finding a good location is a challenge, especially for those in the retail and F&B business.
With its strategic location and well-developed infrastructure, Singapore serves as the regional showcase and distribution center for U.S. franchisors wishing to enter Asian markets. There have been instances where visitors from the region saw a franchise concept in Singapore and were interested in bringing it back to their own countries. In 2018, Singapore attracted over 18.5 million visitors from around the world. The country’s multi-ethnic society also makes it an ideal location for foreign franchisors to test their concepts and use the reaction to gauge the acceptance of their franchise in Asia. There are also opportunities for U.S. franchisors to work with Singapore companies to access markets in nearby countries. Singapore investors may buy franchise licenses for additional markets in the Southeast Asian region and not for Singapore alone.