Best-selling franchises during crisis

While Romanian entrepreneurs are more reluctant to start a new business during the crisis period, those looking for a turnkey business choose fields such as fast-food or services, which entail low start-up expenses.

In Romania, the franchise market is volatile and there are no definite data about its value, says Anton Constantin, chairman of the Romanian Franchise Association, who estimates there are around 300 franchises and master franchisers domestically, of which more than half are foreign ones.
"The most sought-after franchises are in the fast-food field, though they are not the cheapest, because everybody buys a sandwich, a hamburger. These are followed by services franchises."
2010 is a good year to invest in a franchise business as a low price can be obtained when negotiating the contract with the franchiser, which is usually sealed over a five-year period.
Constantin says no new franchises will enter the market this year, while in 2011 four major names in the fashion, fast food and hotel fields are expected.