Franchising continues to be a powerful force in the UK business landscape, contributing an impressive £19.1bn to the economy and generating an average unit turnover of £400,000*.
On 2 and 3 October the National Franchise Exhibition will bring together aspiring business owners, industry experts and leading franchise brands for two days of inspiration, advice and practical guidance at the NEC in Birmingham.
Exclusively supported by the British Franchise Association, the event will showcase more than 100 franchise brands across sectors such as McDonald’s, Anytime Fitness, Home Instead, Zambrero, OVO Solar & Heating and Greene King.
More than 50 free talks and panel sessions will run across the weekend, covering topics from an introduction to franchising and real franchise stories to sector‑specific sessions and practical business advice.
One of the keynote highlights will be Anisa Khan, founder of the viral culinary brand Bombay Pizza and a 2025 finalist on BBC’s The Apprentice. She will speak on Friday 2 October at 13:00 with the session titled “From solo to scale: A founder’s playbook for growth”.
On Saturday 3 October at 12:15 entrepreneur, serial investor and former BBC Dragon Piers Linney will deliver the keynote “Putting AI to work”, exploring how businesses can harness artificial intelligence to improve performance and unlock new opportunities.
Industry experts will be available throughout the exhibition for complimentary one‑to‑one advice, including specialist lawyers, funding providers and franchise consultants.
The Finance Zone will host major banks such as NatWest, Lloyds and Barclays together with specialist franchise finance providers, while ActionCOACH will run exclusive business masterclasses.
The Multi‑unit Franchise Conference, sponsored by Akerman, will feature experienced operators from brands including Itsu, Pepe’s Piri Piri, Bluebird Care and Black Sheep Coffee sharing insights on scaling franchise portfolios.
Helen McCulloch, Portfolio Sales Director at Venture Marketing Group, notes that for more than 30 years the Franchise Exhibitions have helped people turn business ambitions into reality and that the diverse range of opportunities and speaker programme will welcome the next generation of franchisees to the NEC Birmingham this October.
For more information and to book free tickets, visit FranchiseInfo.co.uk.
