From Renewal to Launch: How Strong Master Franchise Relationships Fuel Further Global Expansion

Taking a successful franchise brand abroad for the first time is filled with excitement and nerves. When the brand continues its international growth trajectory, each new country comes with the same level of excitement, along with greater confidence and less anxiety. But beyond simply planting flags in new international markets, it’s essential for a franchisor to not lose sight of their existing partnerships, ones they’ve already spent years nurturing and growing. Those established agreements must remain strong and relevant as their success will eventually serve as the foundation for each new developing market.

Ziebart began international expansion more than 60 years ago with a master franchise agreement in Canada, a relationship that still thrives today. The longevity of that partnership, along with others like it in the Philippines, continues to serve as a blueprint for how the franchise approaches new markets, including our most recent international ventures into Mexico and Denmark.

Renewals mean more than continuity

Before considering the countries where their brand may expand next, franchises should first look at renewing the partnerships they’ve already established and nurtured in their longest-served countries.

When a master franchise agreement comes up for renewal, it’s not about the paperwork or legal formalities; it signals stability in both the partnership and in the business model’s overall position for global success. It gives each party a chance to evaluate the relationship they’ve built together, acknowledge the mutual trust that’s developed, and recommit to a shared future.

These renewals can become even more powerful over time as they fuel a brand’s growth momentum and inform franchisors how to approach new opportunities. And when a franchise relationship thrives over decades, it becomes a living playbook that allows a franchisor to continue growing and succeeding in international markets.

Lessons for global growth

Just like successful franchisors practice when growing domestically, the overall goal for international expansion is not to enter as many markets or countries as quickly as possible. Franchises must first build a foundation to expand upon, something that guides the brand as it matures into a franchise that can withstand the test of time in various climates, even through shifts in consumer behavior and fluctuating economic cycles.

That’s where building legacy markets comes into play. Franchises should think of them as laboratories for the future that allow the brand to essentially test how it resonates across different cultures while gaining real-world insights into where the business model may need to adjust to meet local consumer demands and expectations.

As an example, our longstanding master franchise owners in Turkey and Saudi Arabia have gone beyond their own operations by sub-franchising and extending brand recognition deeper within their regions. Legacy markets like these demonstrate how international partners can become innovators and multipliers for the brand. The lessons franchisors draw from these legacy markets shape their approach to new ones, influencing how they structure agreements, support master franchisees, and pace sustainable international growth. By applying decades of learning from mature markets, franchisors can ensure new ones start on solid ground.

International expansion has long been a common goal among franchisors, and the strategy is becoming increasingly competitive. The brands that will ultimately succeed will be those that find that ideal balance between ambition and consistency. By prioritizing strong, long-standing relationships alongside new developments, brands have the opportunity to create a virtuous cycle: experienced partners reaffirm credibility, and new partners benefit from the lessons learned in those relationships.

Larisa Walega is the chief growth officer of Ziebart International Corporation.