Supermac’s won Retail Franchise of the Year at the Irish Franchise Awards 2016 last Friday night which took place in the Radisson St Helen’s Hotel in Dublin. The awards, held in association with AIB, recognise excellence in franchising and reward the outstanding achievements of businesses and individuals in the franchise industry. The Irish Franchise Awards celebrate 21 years this year and it is one of the longest running business award ceremonies in Ireland. 230 guests attended the black-tie gala event hosted by Newstalk’s Jonathan Healy. Mr Tony Fitzpatrick was honoured with a Special Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony.
Managing Director of Supermac’s Pat McDonagh said of the win “it is a truly great honour to be recognised among your peers for business excellence. Myself, Una and the Supermac’s team are thrilled to receive the award for Best Franchise. It is the hard work of the Supermac’s Team and our franchisees who build the business and help make it a success. We are most grateful to our valued customers who help us grow our business on a daily basis and who recognise the quality of the fresh Irish food and service we provide.”
Speaking on the night, member of the judging panel Bobby Kerr commended the very high standard of the entries and presentations received and remarked on the huge numbers employed in Ireland through the various franchise systems.
According to recent research carried out between March and May 2015 by Ipsos MRBI for AIB and the Irish Franchise Association, the Irish franchise industry is now poised for strong growth over the coming years with over 28,000 people now working in the Irish franchise sector. The survey also notes that these employees are engaged in the operations of 2,975 different franchise units across a wide range of sectors ranging from retailing and food service right through to an interesting selection of business-to-business and business-to-consumer services.
The ceremony was an impressive business event reflecting the strength of the franchise sector over the last two decades. David Killeen, Chairman of the Irish Franchise Association said “The awards are an opportunity for us to formally recognise and celebrate the excellent work being done by all franchise operators in growing our sector. We look forward to an all-Ireland Franchise Show in September and we are delighted to see our membership numbers growing. On behalf of the Association I would like to congratulate all entrants and winners with special thanks to our co-sponsors AIB and award sponsors which include Sage, Home Instead, TaxAssist Accountants, Snap, The Irish Franchise Show, Eddie Rockets, Fastway Couriers, JBM & Merit Solutions, McDonalds and Skillnet
