Enquiry – Phone/Walk-In/Email/Website
Applicant is taken through the pre-qualification questions:
What type of business are you currently involved in?
Why Chicken Republic as a franchise option?
We are looking for partners to open a minimum of 4 units over 2-3 years therefore it is a minimum requirement that all successful applicants can show that they have a minimum of N25m (30% equity funding for a typical CR Franchise Restaurant) in the form of liquid or quickly realisable assets i.e. cash or shares/stocks. Do you have the funding available?
Which areas are you looking to operate in and are you flexible to move around Nigeria?
If the pre-application questions are answered satisfactorily, you will be given a Chicken Republic Franchising Brochure to read and an Application Form, as well as, a Psychometric Test to complete.
Joining Fees
Once our office is in receipt of the completed application form and supporting documentation, and if the prospective franchisee meets the initial criteria, he/she is invoiced and must pay the joining fees before we proceed to the next stages.
Credit and Reference Checks are conducted with the consent given on the application form.
For financial approval we review each franchise application with reference to matters such as certain financial ratios and other criteria for all proposed and existing restaurants, as shown or estimated by the applicant. This financial evaluation is carried out for the company’s internal purposes and is not a guarantee or assurance of adequacy for success of your particular site. For information purposes, we can advise you that, unless other relevant factors apply, it principally looks for the following:
i) Cash Flow
ii) Debt/Equity Ratio
To evaluate new franchisees starting up a business we require certain information, which may include personal net worth statements and trade and personal references, in addition to the Initial Corporate Franchise Application Form.
Legal approval involves in summary, meeting the legal and ownership requirements of the company. In addition, the prospective franchisee must not be in breach of any legal obligation to, or be involved in a claim against the company or its affiliates.
In parallel, the prospective franchisee will go through a 2 hour orientation and evaluation at a designated CR restaurant.
Based on the results of all the above, an interview is arranged between the prospective franchisee and our Franchise Development Team. Panel – HOD, Franchise Development and Relations, COO Chicken Republic and subsequently the MD.
Internal approval
Results and information submitted are analysed and the franchise approval decision is made at this point.
The above is not an exhaustive list of those matters, which Chicken Republic and its affiliates may take into account in determining whether to grant or maintain Franchise Approval. Franchise Approval may be withdrawn if the franchisee fails to continue to meet the relevant requirements and Chicken Republic will not grant a franchise if Franchise Approval is not in place when the restaurant is due to open.
Site Selection (subject to internal approval)
If the prospective franchisee already has a proposed site then they will move straight to the site approval stage.
If not the prospective franchisee will liaise with our Property Development team to discuss potential locations that may be available as part of the current CR Franchise Development process.
Once the prospective franchisee has found a suitable site, the prospective franchisee will be required to submit our Site Selection criteria document. The Development Team will review the document and accept or reject the proposed site at its sole discretion.
If approval of the proposed site is granted the prospective franchisee may proceed to secure the proposed site. The prospective franchisee must receive written Site Approval
Franchise Agreement
Once final approvals have been given for the above, a franchise agreement is drawn.
Franchise Training/Construction Starts
A 3- month training programme commences alongside construction which typically takes 12 weeks to complete.
NB – Franchisee pays approved contractor directly.
Franchisee recruits crew members and reports for training with them.
Franchisee pays Food Concepts for equipment, furniture, fitting, signage and working capital.
Once the prospective franchisee has successfully completed the 3-month structured training programme, final operations approval is given.
Prior to the restaurant opening our Project Manager must go through the restaurant opening checklist with the franchisee, franchise manager, contractor and member of operations before handing over the restaurant to the franchisee.
Once all the above steps of the development process have been completed the franchisee is authorised to open the CR restaurant
Opening
A member of the operations team is obliged to assist the franchisee for a period of 7 days.
Formal launch and opening ceremony scheduled for 1 month after first date of operations.