franchise

In China, on June 20, 2025, Yum China (2024 revenue: US$10.65 billion, 2.5% after a rise of 14.1% in 2023) announced the launch of an AI-integrated voice assistant in several KFC restaurants. As a...

24 June 2025

Unibail launches franchise in Saudi Arabia with Cenomi Centers

On May 5, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) announced a launch in Saudi Arabia through a franchise partnership with operator Cenomi Centers. The 10-year exclusive partnership, with an option to...

6 May 2025

Carrefour re-signs with Majid Al Futtaim until 2031

On April 3, Carrefour renewed an exclusive franchise agreement until 2031 with the Emirati group Majid Al Futtaim (turnover 2024: €8.53 billion, up by 1% in a year, after a rise of 1.1% in...

9 April 2025

For the first time since 2020, the number of French franchised stores fell in 2024

Closures in the fashion sector, lower performance for supermarkets and household equipment farnchised stores, which underperformed the market... In France, the number of franchises fell by 1.4% in...

4 March 2025

Franchise : Ulta Beauty enters the Middle East with Alshaya

After announcing a first international expansion into Mexico in March 2024, the U.S. retailer Ulta Beauty (2023 turnover of US$11.2 billion, up 5.7%, after 15.6% in 2022 and 37.9% in 2021)...

11 February 2025

Maisons du Monde sales plummet for 3rd year running

In a French furniture market down by 5.1% to €13.8 billion in 2024 (IPEA), Maisons du Monde (338 stores at the end of 2024) reported annual sales of €1.002 billion on February 4, down...

6 February 2025

La Foir’fouille chooses Duval for franchise African expansion

On January 31, discount chain La Foir’fouille (steady 2023 sales at €815 million, target of €830 million for 2024) announced an African expansion via a master franchise agreement...

5 February 2025

Auchan Russia is counting on sanctions being lifted to continue trading

Auchan Retail (2023 sales €32.26 billion, down 2% in a year, via 2,354 stores in 12 countries) has ended discussions with Gazprombank concerning the sale of 232 Russian stores, according to...

30 January 2025

Majid Al Futtaim launches retail media solution in the Middle East

The Majid Al Futtaim conglomerate (sales 2023 of US$9.4 billion up by 1.1%, after + 12% in 2022) launches Precision Media, a new media business. This offers a suite of in-store, onsite and offsite...

18 November 2024

Auchan Retail to sell Russian stores to Gazprombank

Auchan Retail is in the process of withdrawing from Russia, with the sale of all 232 stores, according to La Lettre. While the company announced that it will remain in Ukraine, it is considering...

30 October 2024

South Asia: Mothercare and Reliance Brands create a joint venture

On October 17, the struggling British retailer Mothercare (sales of US$355 million in the fiscal year to March 2024, down by 9% at constant exchange rates after a fall of 13% in 2022) and the...

25 October 2024

Saudi Arabia: Carrefour and Majid Al Futtaim criticised for human rights violations

On October 21, Amnesty denounced Carrefour‘s practices in a Saudi franchise managed by Majid Al Futtaim (2023 sales €8.6 billion, up 1%). Migrants are employed, underpaid and working 60...

23 October 2024

10 years after leaving India, Carrefour returns via a franchising agreement

While Carrefour is gradually withdrawing from Africa, the group (2023 sales of €92 billion, up 10.4% on a like-for-like basis via 14,000 stores in 40 countries) announced on September 9 a...

11 September 2024

China: After an upbeat Q2, Walmart sells JD.com

On August 21, Walmart confirmed the sale of their stake in JD.com (2023 sales:US$153 billion, up 3.7% in a year). In China, faced with competitors Pinduoduo, Xiaohongshu and Alibaba, the...

23 August 2024

Dubai: Spinneys targets an I.P.O. valuation of US$1.5 billion

On April 23, 2024, supermarket group Spinneys 1961 Holding (70 stores in the U.A.E. and Oman, a subsidiary of Al Seer) opened subscription of 9,000 shares in preparation for an I.P.O. on the Dubai...

25 April 2024

Retail crisis in Morocco: international franchises in jeopardy

In 2024, the Moroccan retail sector is going through a tumultuous period, marked by the successive closures of international franchises. An example is the departure of two H&M stores belonging...

19 April 2024

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Aroma-Zone and Najar reveal the behind-the-scenes of a strategic partnership

As the adoption of AI results in increasing cost volatility for companies, mind Retail spoke in Monaco with Christelle Glaszer, Manager of Indirect Purchases at Aroma-Zone natural beauty retailer...

13 March 2026

After-sales service: Prolong aims to become the OS of repair and adds 3 luxury brands

Signing of three high-end clients, launch of a maintenance passport, imminent Seed funding round and cloud migration project in China… At a 1-to-1 conference in Monaco, the Founder of Prolong...

12 March 2026

Regulatory: With 200,000 Digital Product Passports issued, Darty scales up

While the European Commission is set to vote on delegated acts to specify requirements for home appliances, Darty is accelerating a Digital Product Passport (DPP) push by integrating new products...

11 March 2026

Electronic labels: Hanshow accelerates breakthrough and signs with a leading British retailer

While the leader in electronic labels, Vusion exceeded €1.47 billion in revenue in 2025, rival Hanshow is stepping up a global offensive, winning a strategic account in the U.K. and a new POC for...

27 February 2026

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Profound raises US$96 million in Series C funding, becoming a first GEO unicorn

Founded in 2024 in New York by James Cadwallader, GEO startup Profound raised US$96 million on February 24, 2026, in a Series C round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, including Sequoia Capital...

25 February 2026

Klépierre, URW, Carmila: in 2025, retail media and services accounted for nearly 10% of net rental income

Published on February 12 and 19, annual financial results of the three major European property companies show that Klépierre, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, and Carmila are no longer singing from the...

24 February 2026