WSJ:
Before the downturn, small U.S. franchises typically wouldn’t stray far from an original location. Now economic uncertainty at home, and in other Western economies, has prompted a growing number of franchises to look farther afield. They’re turning to markets in the developing world where credit continues to flow, franchise buyers face fewer barriers to financing, and American goods and services are in high demand.
“Five years ago, few smaller brands would have considered these markets,” says William Edwards, CEO of Edwards Global Services, an Irvine, Calif., global franchise consulting firm. “The big challenge now is that in the U.S., it’s very difficult for new franchisees to get financing. Money is not a problem in emerging markets, and there’s a lot of demand.”
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