How franchises can make the most out of 2023 by utilising health and nutrition

The British Nutrition Foundation survey recently revealed 62% of Britons have altered their diet to get healthier¹. And with the increasing awareness of the physical and mental benefits of making changes to a diet, it is beginning to be reflected in workplace performance. The correlation between implementing and championing wellness and health strategies within franchise brands is fast becoming an important element to success, efficiency and workplace wellbeing. Here, Sigríður Jónsdóttir, the Managing Director of the innovative QSR franchise, Ísey Skyr Bar, discusses how franchise brands can get a better bite out of 2023 by championing a holistic approach to business.

The holistic relationship between physical health and business success

What does a holistic approach to business look like today? And why has it never been so applicable to franchisors practising it across their own franchise operations? Similar to achieving a holistic state in physical health, holistic business operations involve strategies that include every ‘cog in the machine’ – or in this instance, every department – to strive for one collective goal. And with it being impossible for businesses to hide behind a logo, mission or reputation in 2023, a question all franchisors should ask themselves is, “Can my business sustain itself with a devoted, passionate and driven team?”

But where does healthy eating come into it? Well, there is increasing, unignorable evidence showing that healthy eating drastically increases levels of dopamine (the ‘happy’ brain chemical) and reduces stress and anxiety². Implementing healthy eating and wellness strategies within the workplace can improve the shared attitude and motivation to work. Quite literally, with healthy minds driving a franchise brand, a healthy business will come naturally. 

How this works for today’s consumer

With the franchise industry evolving to suit the ever-changing needs and demands of consumers, it has never been more important for to brands to remember: ‘we are what we eat’. By adopting internal practices that consumers today are actively seeking – one being a higher focus on the health benefits of products – it immediately gives the franchise brand a level of relatability. Relatability can drastically improve marketing efforts for brands, as while franchises seek to appeal to the many and not the few, key demographics and consumer groups can be found to share similar visions, attitudes and beliefs. Franchises that can prove their relatable nature can bring larger demographics, making products easier to market and therefore enhancing and defining the vision of a brand. For example, the global market for organic foods will be worth $323 billion by 2024, with 64% of consumers believing that healthfulness is an important factor in choosing products and services⁴. Franchise brands that can demonstrate their commitment to actively encouraging and incentivising healthy eating and wellbeing practices show their understanding of what consumers want today, thus appealing to a large majority of the consumer landscape.

Integrating health in business development

Undoubtedly, the science is there to prove the holistic ‘chemical’ benefits of healthy eating, but objectively, championing healthy eating and wellbeing is invaluable to the development of a brand. In various ways, we are all consumers. And it is vital that franchises practise what they preach by ensuring their team are afforded as much care as their customers. This not only improves productivity but can even help team members rediscover a spark to continue proudly representing a franchise. Visibly making an effort to nurture the health and wellness of a team enhances trustworthiness – a characteristic that cannot be ignored in today’s saturated market.

Trustworthiness increases staff retention. In fact, a study by Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health showed that companies that provided a good corporate wellness programme experienced 6% less voluntary employee turnover¹. As previously mentioned, the franchise industry is what it eats, and is made up 710,000⁵ active, intelligent, market-savvy consumers. That 6%, amounts to a staggering 42,600 jobs that could potentially be saved. How? Simply by franchise brands having well-developed and accessible wellness programmes, as well as providing easy access to healthy foods.

With the franchise industry booming, and with entrepreneurs looking harder than ever to take control of their own lives and success, it is vital that franchisors do everything they can to make their franchise an attractive, sleek and progressive opportunity. In years gone by, the concept of ‘all work, no play’ has diminished in meaning significantly. A healthy work-life balance, setting informal targets and nurturing social opportunities in franchise brands are vital towards a team’s success. Setting the goal of achieving holistic physical and mental health within a franchise brand, practising what a franchise preaches and ensuring there are wellness strategies in place, are all key components of how franchises can get a better bite out of business in 2023.

_{¹British Nutrition Foundation, 2021, British Nutrition Foundation survey reveals 62% of Britons have altered their diet to get healthier}

_{²Healthessentials, 2021, Does What You Eat Affect Your Mood?}

_{³UpMeals, 2021, 4 Reasons Your Company Should Invest In Healthy Eating}

_{⁴Mariah Venice Afable, 2019, Health-Conscious Consumers and the Demand for Holistic Nutrition}

_{⁵What Franchise, 2018, UK franchise industry operating at record levels – latest research}