Leading international independent hotel group, Worldhotels, continues its ambitious expansion plans, signing an agreement with the Spanish Husa hotel chain that brings 12 more hotels into Worldhotels membership.
Barcelona based Husa Hotels, a family owned business established in 1930, has become a major player in Spain with over 120 hotels throughout the nation. Six Husa hotels are prior members of Worldhotels, and the 12 new memberships bring a total of 1,914 more rooms to the Worldhotels portfolio. Eight of new hotels are in Spain, two in Morocco and one in Andorra, with the twelfth scheduled to open in Germany in 2012
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
Monceau Fleurs Group, the holding company for Monceau Fleurs, Rapid’Flore and Happy, announced the appointment of Bruno Blaser as its new Director of Networks and Brand Marketing. Working directly with Paul Mir, the Monceau Fleurs Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Blaser will be in charge of developing and launching the marketing strategy for all group companies, in conjunction with the respective Brand Managers of Monceau Fleurs, Rapid’Flore and Happy.
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
Eroski has decided to reverse a policy established in 1992, and pull out of the French market. According to Group spokespersons, the distribution co-op´s investments north of the Pyrenees have long ceased to be strategic.
Only a few years ago, (now former) Eroski Chairman Constan Dacosta noted that the Spanish co-op, based in Elorrio (Vizcaya), had decided to enter the French market more as a learning opportunity than as a business venture. “A mature market like France can teach us a great deal about the distribution business”. Thus, the purpose was knowledge acquisition, for later application to expanding its operations in Spain.
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
Hotel operator Accor Group has added two more Spanish hotels to Ibis Styles theme brand. In Zaragoza, the Hotel Ramiro I, established in 1968, will change its name to Ibis Styles Zaragoza Ramiro, and in Arnedo, La Rioja, the former Hotel Victoria will become Ibis Styles Arnedo La Rioja. With these two additions, Ibis Styles now operates three hotels in Spain.
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
2012 marks the 31st edition of Franchise Expo Paris. The four day event scheduled for 18-21 March at the Porte de Versailles de Paris trade fair facility (France) will feature over 450 exhibitors from 75 different sectors and 20 countries. Every year this trade fair welcomes over 110 new and innovative franchise projects, ranging from natural and organic products to fashion, decoration, signature cuisine, etc.
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
Paule Ka, whose clientele includes politician Ségolène Royal (former Socialist Party candidate to the French presidency), is poised to enter the Spanish market. With a newly established affiliate for Spanish operations, the firm is finalizing details on a location in Madrid.
The location selected for the firm´s national market debut is on Madrid´s Claudio Coello Street, near Textura. Renovations are currently underway. Paule Ka is seeking new locations to establish further shops in Spain.
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
Spanish toy store chain Eurekakids announced store openings in France and Belgium, its first in these markets.
With this move the Spanish chain positions itself as one of the leading educational toy brands in Europe. Since its founding in 2001, Eurekakids has registered strong growth in several European markets, expanding its presence into five countries. The company now has 83 stores, 63 in Spain with the rest divided among France (córners), Italy (14), Portugal (5) and Andorra (1). In 2011 Eurekakids plans to open 34 new stores in Spain and other European countries, in a move to consolidate its international presence in markets like Italy and Portugal.
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
“Franchise and Distribution Networks: year-end overview of trends identified for Spanish companies in France”
Franchise and distribution network attorney Miguel Morillon, addressed clients, collaborators and friends at a year-end dinner organized to take stock of 2011 sector related events, provide insights into the legal and economic prospects of the sector, and on the situation of Spanish chains operating in France.
In the current tense climate, in which franchising is apparently finally managing to overcome the difficulties faced, numerous networks continue to develop: job security and decision making by reasonably minded employees are increasingly imposed as a matter of obligation.
Over the course of this evening dedicated to “major trends of Spanish brands”, we have addressed the following aspects affecting franchise holders:
- The legal interest of franchise contracts
- Legal recognition
- Negative derivations of the essential elements of the franchise agreement
- Trends in the Spanish market
Morillon Avocats. Events
Alain Afflelou announced its acquisition, for an undisclosed amount, of the optical and audiology chain, Visión MB. It plans to add the eight stores to its points of sale in Spain.
With this addition, the company will have five establishments in Madrid, two in the Canary Islands and one in Barcelona. The French group says it plans to adapt the MB image, integrate information systems and train staff in its commercial policy.
In the coming months, Alain Afflelou expects to open 30 new optical establishments in Spain, along with 25 audiology centers, a new division added last year.
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
Founded in 1979 as an affiliate of Carrefour Group, the Dia supermarket chain (Distribuidora Internacional de Alimentos), went public last July. It has since earned a place on the IBEX 35 stock exchange, based on the merits of own equity and liquidity.
Owing to recent events affecting short term trades, the IBEX 35 Technical Advisory Committee has yet to determine which of the 35 incumbents will leave the index to make way for Dia, due to which IBEX 35 listings will temporarily expand to include 36 companies, one beyond the signature limit of 35.
Inclusion in this selective index marks a milestone for Dia that puts it on the radar of a much broader investment base, highly significant for a stock whose free float exceeds 80%.
Morillon Avocats. Franchises News
