Promoting the franchise business by strengthening franchisee support and partnerships

「We progressively introduced the “Takeout Online Reservation System,” which was introduced at all company-operated stores last year, at franchise stores as well. In coordination with the official smartphone app, we also sought to further improve convenience by adding a discount function for Gyoza Club members when payment is made in advance.」

「Regarding food preparation, we worked to stabilize and improve food quality by strictly implementing the same recipes and preparation methods used at company-operated stores. In particular, for the new product “Unforgettable Chuka Soba,” our shop advisors visited franchise stores to provide preparation guidance.」

「As a result of implementing these measures, sales at franchise stores remained strong, reaching record highs, and shipment sales from our plants to franchise stores during the cumulative second quarter consolidated period also reached a record high.」

「As in the previous consolidated fiscal year, the company continued to improve QSC at franchised stores by thoroughly implementing the Ohsho Standard. Regarding cooking, it checked in detail whether the same recipes and cooking methods as those used at company-operated stores were being followed, working to stabilize and improve food quality. In particular, for the “Wasurerarenai Chuka Soba,” shop advisers visited franchised stores to provide cooking instruction and ensure that the standard cooking method was followed.」

「For cooking, the company standardized franchisees’ recipes, ingredients, cooking methods and gyoza ranges with those of company-operated stores to ensure consistent food quality. In particular, it limited almost all ingredients used to those shipped from its factories. For hygiene management, it introduced the same hygiene and cleaning manuals as company-operated stores and focused on improving cleanliness to provide a more comfortable dining environment.」

「For example, focusing on key menu items whose prices had been revised, the company thoroughly confirmed and instructed franchisees on cooking methods. It also conducted hygiene management inspections at all franchised stores and established store hygiene practices using the same hygiene and cleaning manuals as company-operated stores. For promotions, when events were held across all stores, it thoroughly coordinated initiatives with franchisees, including explaining the purpose of campaigns and strengthening in-store notices, so that franchised stores operated in tandem with company-operated stores. As a result of these measures, sales at individual franchised stores remained strong, as in the previous fiscal year, and shipment sales from the company’s factories to franchisees reached a record high.」

「As in the previous consolidated fiscal year, we thoroughly worked to improve QSC at franchise stores by providing cooking improvement guidance through training at the Osho Cooking Dojo, further strengthening visits by franchise consultants to stores, checking hygiene management based on daily hygiene reports and store cleaning conditions, and strengthening measures to prevent foreign-material contamination using the foreign-material prevention manual.」

「The company established a system for providing better-tasting gyoza by standardizing the gyoza ranges, which had varied among franchised stores, using its proprietary griddles.」

「In addition, more active promotions in coordination with company-operated stores and raising delivery, EPARK takeout and credit card payment services at franchised stores to the same service level as at company-operated stores helped attract customers despite the difficult environment. As a result, sales at individual franchised stores remained strong, while shipments from the company’s factories to franchisees continued to increase.」

「Regarding Ohsho University and the Ohsho Cooking Dojo, which had previously been intended for employees of company-operated stores, the company expanded eligibility to franchise owners, store managers and prospective next-generation owners and managers to help them acquire know-how for store operations and improve their cooking skills, and attracted many participants from franchisees. To strongly promote these initiatives, the company transferred the Franchise Promotion Department, which oversees the franchising business, to the Sales Division, the same division overseeing company-operated stores, effective 1 October this year.」

「To strengthen partnerships with franchisees and enhance the brand value of Gyoza no Ohsho, the company established an internal structure to provide strong support in resolving franchisees’ issues.」

「Under its core franchising strategy, the company revamped its personnel structure this spring, established a system to provide strong support in resolving franchisees’ issues, strengthened its partnerships with franchisees and began initiatives to enhance brand value.」