Tag Archives: green franchises

For FiltaFry, Every Day is Earth Day

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To most, Monday was Earth Day– unless you’re a Filta franchisee— in which case every day is Earth Day.

 

Since 1996, Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions has used science to the benefit of businesses and the environment by offering green solutions to common problems experienced by the hospitality industry.

 

Familiar with reducing, reusing and recycling? Filta’s three kitchen solutions are modeled along the same guidelines.

 

FiltaFry is an eco-friendly way for restaurants, food franchises and other establishments to manage, filter and reuse fry oil and shortening. Trained FiltaFry representatives micro-filter each fryer’s cooking oil, perform vacuum-based deep fryer cleaning services and calibrate each fryer for optimum performance. By doing so, each pound of cooking oil’s longevity increases and 99 percent of carbon is removed from the fryer. Consistently cleaned fryers also reduce the number of accidents and insurance claims amongst restaurants and food franchises.

 

Once the oil is no longer usable for cooking it’s purified through Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions’ FiltaBio service. The majority is sent to be made into biodiesel, the safe and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional diesel fuel.

 

In addition to maintaining the quality of frying oil for restaurants and food franchises, Filta has devised a cost-effective and eco friendly solution to businesses that need to ensure moisture levels within their refrigeration units. FiltaCool’s air permeable packet absorbs excess humidity through a special blend of minerals.

 

Filta’s list of clients include:

  • hotels and resorts (Hilton, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Compuware Arena, Nationwide Arena, Six Flags)
  • grocery stores
  • convenience stores
  • hospitals (BlueCross BlueShield, JFK Memorial Hospital, Emory University School of Medicine)
  • florists
  • universities (Emory, University of Tennessee)
  • restaurants (Chick-Fil-A, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Ruth’s Chris Steak House)

 

 

Franchises That Are Making a Difference

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The franchise industry has a bad reputation as an industry that force feeds processed foods to the masses and cons its franchisees into paying high franchise fees.

 

But, there’s more to franchising than just French fries and lawsuits.

 

Concepts do exist that make a difference in the lives of customers, communities and franchisees. Some concepts help people change their lives for the better, others offer healthy alternatives to junk food and then there are those that are encouraging positive social change in the business world. Here is our list of favorite franchises that are making a difference:

 

[highlight]Healthy Vending Machine Concepts[/highlight]

Usually, it’s not our three main meals of the day that are our unhealthiest, it’s our snacks. Healthy vending machines remind me of the saying, “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” By stocking conveniently located vending machines with better, more nutritious options, these vending machine franchises are reinventing our definition of convenience foods.

  • Naturals 2 Go
  • Health You Vending
  • Fresh Healthy Vending

 

[highlight]Personal Fitness Franchises[/highlight]

Just watch one episode of “The Biggest Loser” and you’ll understand America’s fascination–and need– for businesses that empower others to get in shape, lose weight and be healthy. These fitness franchises give their customers and franchisees the power to change lives for the better.

 

[highlight]Socially and Environmentally Conscious[/highlight]

Almost 70 percent of adults are more likely to visit a restaurant that offers food grown or raised in an organic or environmentally-friendly way.  Over 40 percent of Americans say they’ve purchased an item solely because of its association with a social or environmental cause. If you think being a socially and/or environmentally conscientious business isn’t important, think again. These franchises have their minds set right.

 

[highlight] Charitable Giving[/highlight]

A full 83 percent of consumers want more products, services and retailers to benefit worthy causes. Some make financial donations while others give their time. Even still, some are known to provide meals for those in need.

 

 

The Top 10 Fastest-Growing Industries in the United States and What That Means for Franchising

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The Top 10 Fastest-Growing Industries in the United States:

 

1. Generic pharmaceuticals

2. Solar panel manufacturing

3. For-profit universities

4. Pilates and yoga studios

5. Self-tanning product manufacturing

6. 3-D printer manufacturing

7. Social network game development

8. Hot sauce production

9. Green and sustainable building construction

10. Online eyeglasses sales

 

If the above list, found on Wonkblog, is any indication, the way out of the recession is  hot sauce, green construction and whole lot of downward facing dogs. If that’s the case, then the franchise industry, which predicted a 5% growth margin for 2012, is poised for an even better end of year report.

 

Why Hot Sauce?

It seems as though not some, but most, like it hot. As a nation, our tastes are changing. The growing number of immigrants and morphing demographics of our melting pot country are causing a desire for spicy, ethnic foods.  For the past decade, the hot sauce manufacturing industry has grown at a rate of 9.3 percent per year.

 

While there aren’t any hot sauce franchises (to our knowledge) this taste for spicier food is sure to carry over in ways other than the bottle of Tobasco on your table. Mexican-inspired franchise restaurants are seeing an increase in their popularity across the country, too.

 

Green, Mean Money Machines

Solar manufacturing and sustainable building construction, the two green industries on IBIS World’s list, can attribute part of their growth to various government subsidies. Though these subsidies are beginning to wind down, the growth rate for green industries is predicted to continue in 2012 with Solar Panel Manufacturing and Sustainable Green Building growing at a rate of 8.2 percent and 9.4 percent respectively.

 

For the environmentally conscientious interested in becoming a franchise owners there are quite a few options available:

 

Say Om

Pilates and yoga studios were highly resistant to the recession and have continued to grow as the U.S.’ economy strengthens. From 2002 to 2012, the industry grew an average of 12.1 percent per year. In 2012, yoga and Pilates studios are projected to experience a 5.1 percent growth rate.

 

A number of yoga and/or Pilates franchises are available to those interested in helping others improve their strength, flexibility and fitness levels. Though they’re not mentioned explicitly in IBIS’ report, I would imagine similar health and fitness concepts like gyms and massage franchises have experienced an uptick in their growth rates and are ripe for expansion as well.

 

  • IMX Pilates
  • Wundabar Pilates
  • Sunstone Yoga
  • Open Doors Yoga
  • Innergy Yoga
  • Bikram Yoga