The firm’s Franchising Team is boosting its international profile by sponsoring a team of three students who are undertaking the 9,500 mile journey from Goodwood to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The Rally’s rules state that maximum engine capacity is 1,200 cc and that the car must be less than 10 years’ old. In other words a “banger”. So the team of Teddy Chadd, Poppy Rainer and Pete Henriques, known as the “Three Mongateers”, is driving a turquiose 1.2 litre Vauxhall Aguilawith LP’s banner.
The route takes the team through Europe and on to Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhastan and Russia before arriving in Mongolia around 6 weeks later. The Vauxhall Aguila is making good progress and has just crossed the border into the Czech Republic. The money raised by Teddy and his team will be split 50:50 between Help For Heroes and Lotus Children’s Centre Charitable Trust.
Whilst Western Europe has a developed franchising sector many of the other countries which the Vauxhall Aguila will encounter are somewhat behind the curve. Jonathan Chadd, head of Leathes Prior’s Franchising Team explains:
“Much of the impetus in franchising over the last 25 or so years has come from the US and Western Europe. We have seen an accelerated impact of franchising in countries like Australia and Brazil. However, whilst India and China are fast becoming franchising heavyweights much of the rest of Asia is still deemed to be a relatively untapped market. The principal benefit of franchising is it allows developed businesses with globally recognised brands to be adopted and replicated by entrepreneurs in developing countries with relative ease. We are delighted to have been able to support the rally and the initiative of the Three Mongateers in participating and raising funds for such good causes. We have asked them to report back on their experiences and in particular to identify the opportunities that exist for franchising and licensing into the diverse Asian countries through which they will pass.”
