Franchising's weekly rewind

Fast-Food Owners Teaming Up with Unions The California Senate passed a bill last May to give franchise owners more power when it comes to dealing with the corporate franchise system. The bill stalled in the Assembly, but franchisees are lobbying hard to get the legislation passed. The bill would make it harder for a franchisor to terminate franchise agreements. This would in theory make franchisees more independent. The bill has the support of the Service Employees International Union — the same organization that has organized quick-service workers in their strikes for higher wages. (From Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Table for 1 Research from The NPD Group found that more than 50 percent of eating occasions happen when someone is alone. They are attributing the shift to an increase in single-person households as well as time constraints and being away from the home. (From Fast Casual) IFA Attempting to Halt Seattle’s Minimum-Wage Increase The International Franchise Association is attempting to issue a preliminary injunction to prevent the City of Seattle from increasing its minimum wage. The IFA has reached out to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The reasoning behind the injunction, according to the IFA, is because they believe it “discriminates against small franchisee businesses.” (From PizzaMarketplace.com) California is about to go Coconuts Hawaii’s highest-rated fast-casual restaurant has been approved to begin franchising in California. The brand Coconut’s Fish Café is an island-theme fish restaurant that features Hawaiian fish and flavors with a focus on healthful dining. The brand has already started franchising in Arizona. (From RestaurantNews.com) Frozen Yogurt is Getting More Diverse In order to combat the potential burst of the frozen-yogurt craze, many brands are looking to diversify their offerings. From offering new menu items to repurposing stores into new concepts, the frozen-yogurt market is getting a bit of a face-lift. (From QSR Magazine)