Case Study: Grocery Delivery Franchisee

Vanessa Cook left her public sector job in 2005 to join her husband delivering organic vegetables, and other produce, in the Milton Keynes area.

Here she talks about her transition from 9-5 office work, to life on the open road as a Riverford Organic delivery franchise owner.

Says Vanessa: “My husband Russell used to be a high level electronics engineer working for global companies. He was fed up about always being away from home – staying in hotels and living out of suitcases. And I was tired of my corporate policy and communications role within local government. We both wanted to make a life change and had been discussing starting a business, but we hadn’t considered buying a franchise.

Then Russell saw a Riverford Organic van while he was stuck in a traffic jam on the M40. We’d used a veg box scheme in the past, and liked it, but had stopped using it, probably for circumstantial reasons.

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Mail Boxes Etc. Opens 1,000th Franchise Worldwide

Mail Boxes Etc. UK Ltd. part of the global franchise Mail Boxes Etc. Worldwide, is proud to announce the opening of the 1,000^th store in Europe under the Worldwide brand.

The courier franchise store in Fulham, South West London, is owned by 28-year-old Vladimira Ondruskova, who came from Slovakia 11 years ago specifically to learn English. 

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Case Study: Express Factors Franchisee

When longer service intervals started impacting on the parks business at Paynes of Hinckley, the addition of an Express Factors car repair franchise operation gave a welcome boost to the tune of £720,000 a year.

Three years ago, parts manager Russell Astley realised something had to be done to stop the decline in the parts business at Paynes of Hinckley and saw Unipart’s Express Factors as the answer.

“Before we took on the Unipart business,” he explains, “we were just a main Ford dealership with a Ford Parts Plus business that dealt with the local independent motor trade outlets. We looked at the factor business as a better way to sell to other brands and to the local independents.

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Express Factors: Best Route to Car Parts Market

Express Factors can be the best route to a share of a £2.8bn car parts franchise market.

Unipart Automotive says its Express Factors programme can help dealers grab a slice of the UK’s lucrative replacement parts market.

According to automotive research specialist GIPA, this sector was worth a whopping £2.8 billion in 2008, with the independent motor trade taking the lion’s share (approx 52%).

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Case Study: Wife and Husband Franchise Team

When Mary Watson and husband Chris decided to embark on a new business together, buying a Riverford Organic grocery franchise, they had no idea it would coincide with so many other life-changing events.

Four years later Mary explains how they managed, and why they’re now reaping the rewards: as contented parents, new homeowners and veg box profiteers. Interview by Matt Pigott.

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