Fastest-Growing Sectors 2026
Global franchise unit growth by category — IFA Economic Outlook 2026
Quick Service Restaurant34%
+6.2% YoYBusiness Services18%
+8.1% YoYHealth & Wellness12%
+11.4% YoYEducation & Training9%
+14.2% YoYPersonal Services11%
+5.8% YoYRetail16%
+3.2% YoYShowing 35 of 35 markets
Region
Outlook
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Data
Strong
Market Size
$921B
Total franchise economic output (IFA/FRANdata 2026)
YoY Growth
+1.6%
Franchise Units
845,000
Top Sector
Quick Service
Investment range$50K–$5M
✓ Primary Source✓ Jan 2026
Stable
Market Size
$195B
Total franchise chain sales · ¥29.3T (JFA FY2024)
YoY Growth
+3.6%
Franchise Units
254,478
Top Sector
Convenience & QSR
Investment range¥5M–¥50M
✓ Primary Source✓ Jun 2025
Stable
Market Size
$164B
Total sector turnover · €149.2B (DFV 2024)
YoY Growth
+1.1%
Franchise Units
193,920
Top Sector
Retail & Auto Services
Investment range€20K–€500K
✓ Primary Source✓ Oct 2024
Growing
Market Size
$103B
Total sector turnover · €93.7B (FFF 2025)
YoY Growth
+4.9%
Franchise Units
93,395
Top Sector
QSR & Retail
Investment range€30K–€300K
✓ Primary Source✓ Mar 2025
Growing
Market Size
~$93B
Est. ~5% of GDP (AMF 2024) · no standalone peso figure published
YoY Growth
+11%
Franchise Units
95,000+
Top Sector
Food & Bev
Investment rangeMXN 1M–20M
~ Secondary Source✓ Sep 2024
Growing
Market Size
$106B
Franchise-related GDP · CAD $143B (CFA 2026)
YoY Growth
+5.3%
Franchise Units
66,000+
Top Sector
Food & Hospitality
Investment rangeCAD $50K–$2M
✓ Primary Source✓ Jan 2026
Strong
Market Size
$115B
Annual franchise revenue · AUD $174B (FCA)
YoY Growth
n/a
Franchise Units
94,000+
Top Sector
n/a
Investment rangen/a
✓ Primary Source✓ Sep 2026
Growing
Market Size
$56B
Total sector revenue · R$301.7B (ABF 2025)
YoY Growth
+10.5%
Franchise Units
202,444
Top Sector
QSR & Health/Wellness
Investment rangeR$50K–R$2M
✓ Primary Source✓ Apr 2025
Stable
Market Size
$24B
GDP contribution · £19.1B (BFA 2024)
YoY Growth
+12% vs 2018
Franchise Units
50,421
Top Sector
Business & Personal Services
Investment range£10K–£500K
✓ Primary Source✓ Nov 2024
Growing
Market Size
$27B
Annual revenue · AED 100B (Emirates Franchise Assoc. 2025)
YoY Growth
+15%
Franchise Units
n/a published
Top Sector
F&B & Retail
Investment rangeAED 200K–5M
~ Secondary Source✓ Jan 2025
Strong
Market Size
$16B
SR 60B+ · Monsha'at Franchise Report 2024 + Federation of Saudi Chambers 2026
YoY Growth
+27% avg annual
Franchise Units
1,788 MoC registrations (Q3 2024)
Top Sector
F&B & Accommodation (69% of registrations)
Investment rangeSAR 150K–4M
~ Secondary Source✓ Mar 2024
Strong
Market Size
CNY 2.1T+
Top 100 chains only · no total market aggregate published (CCFA 2024)
YoY Growth
+13.5% (Top 100)
Franchise Units
830,000+
Top Sector
QSR & Convenience
Investment range¥100K–¥5M
~ Secondary Source✓ Jul 2024
Emerging
Market Size
$8.2B
PHP 468B actuals 2024 · 7.2% of GDP (PFA via Chambers 2025)
YoY Growth
+10%
Franchise Units
120,000
Top Sector
Food Service
Investment rangePHP 50K–5M
~ Secondary Source✓ Feb 2025
Growing
Market Size
~$4.5B
SGD ~6B sector turnover · 2013 MTI speech, still cited 2024
YoY Growth
n/a published
Franchise Units
n/a published
Top Sector
F&B & Retail
Investment rangeSGD 50K–500K
~ Secondary Source✓ Jan 2025
Emerging
Market Size
~$9B
Industry estimate — FAI has no public annual report
YoY Growth
+25–30% CAGR
Franchise Units
200,000+
Top Sector
Education & F&B
Investment range₹5L–₹50L
≈ Estimated✓ Jan 2024
Emerging
Market Size
n/a
No official total published · MOIT registry: 330+ foreign brands (2024)
Franchise Units
n/a published
Top Sector
F&B (48% of foreign brands)
Investment range$30K–$500K
≈ Estimated✓ Jun 2024
Growing
Market Size
$94.7B
Total franchise chain revenue (KFTC Annual Disclosure 2025)
YoY Growth
+4.0%
Franchise Units
379,739
Top Sector
QSR & Korean Food
Investment range$20K–$150K
✓ Primary Source
Growing
Market Size
$60B
Total franchise sector estimate · 3,000 brands (UFRAD 2024)
YoY Growth
+13%
Franchise Units
30,000+
Top Sector
Apparel & QSR
Investment range$2K–$100K
~ Secondary Source
Growing
Market Size
$54B
R999B · 15% of national GDP (FASA/UNISA Annual Survey 2024)
YoY Growth
+3.6%
Franchise Units
68,463
Top Sector
QSR & Retail
Investment range$28K–$725K
✓ Primary Source
Strong
Market Size
$51.9B
€48.2B total chain turnover · 61% chain penetration (NFV Monitor 2024)
YoY Growth
+2.0%
Franchise Units
34,935
Top Sector
Retail & Hospitality
Investment range$11K–$127K
✓ Primary Source
Growing
Market Size
$42.1B
€39B total franchise turnover (Assofranchising 2025)
YoY Growth
+8.0%
Franchise Units
62,449
Top Sector
QSR & Retail
Investment range$5K–$323K
✓ Primary Source
Stable
Market Size
$34B
SEK 350B total franchise turnover (SVF Franchise Barometer 2024)
YoY Growth
+3%
Franchise Units
n/a published
Top Sector
Retail & Services
Investment range$30K–$300K
~ Secondary Source
Stable
Market Size
$29.5B
1.88% of GDP · €27.6B · 1,380 brands (AEF Informe 2025)
YoY Growth
+3.5%
Franchise Units
78,000+
Top Sector
Fashion & QSR
Investment range$6K–$215K
✓ Primary Source
Strong
Market Size
$24.4B
8% of GDP · €22.2B · Europe #1 per-capita density (APF 2024)
YoY Growth
+29%
Franchise Units
50,000+
Top Sector
Diversified
Investment range$55K–$550K
✓ Primary Source
Stable
Market Size
$18.5B
NZD 31.7B chain turnover · 11% of GDP (FANZ/Massey Survey 2024)
YoY Growth
+3%
Franchise Units
27,295
Top Sector
Diversified
Investment range$50K–$500K
✓ Primary Source
Growing
Market Size
$15B
Est. PLN 55–65B total franchise turnover (PFiS 2024)
YoY Growth
+2.5%
Franchise Units
90,000+
Top Sector
Retail & Convenience
Investment range$11K–$65K
~ Secondary Source
Growing
Market Size
$7.9B
2nd largest franchise market in Latin America (AAMF 2025)
YoY Growth
+9.2%
Franchise Units
55,000
Top Sector
Gastronomy & QSR
Investment range$16K–$100K
✓ Primary Source
Growing
Market Size
$11.2B
RM 46B projected franchise economy · 15% CAGR (MFA 2025)
YoY Growth
+15%
Franchise Units
n/a published
Top Sector
QSR & Retail
Investment range$20K–$200K
~ Secondary Source
Emerging
Market Size
$10B
Est. franchise economy · 231,514 outlets (Ministry of Trade 2024)
YoY Growth
+5.0%
Franchise Units
231,514
Top Sector
F&B & Beauty
Investment range$9K–$150K
~ Secondary Source
Emerging
Market Size
$10B
Est. franchise economy · $10.4B foodservice sector (EFDA 2024)
YoY Growth
+14%
Franchise Units
78,000+
Top Sector
QSR & F&B
Investment range$5K–$540K
~ Secondary Source
Growing
Market Size
$8.5B
Est. THB 300B franchise economy · 10% annual growth (DBD/FLA 2024)
YoY Growth
+10%
Franchise Units
59,077
Top Sector
F&B & QSR
Investment range$5K–$150K
~ Secondary Source
Growing
Market Size
$2.5B
4th largest franchise market in Latin America (CamacofCOL 2025)
YoY Growth
+5.2%
Franchise Units
17,900
Top Sector
Food & Fashion
Investment range$20K–$300K
~ Secondary Source
Emerging
Market Size
$11.1B
Foodservice sector · 11.5% CAGR (Mordor Intelligence / FANi 2025)
YoY Growth
+11.5%
Franchise Units
3,000+
Top Sector
QSR & Convenience
Investment range$28K–$108K
≈ Estimated
Growing
Market Size
$2B
MAD 20B · 25% avg annual growth · 500% target by 2030 (FMF 2025)
YoY Growth
+25%
Franchise Units
745
Top Sector
Retail & Services
Investment range$50K–$590K
~ Secondary Source
Emerging
Market Size
$4B
Industry estimate · 200+ global brands · $900M annual royalties (US Commercial Guide 2024)
YoY Growth
n/a published
Franchise Units
n/a published
Top Sector
Hospitality & QSR
Investment range$15K–$250K
≈ Estimated
Official Data Sources
15 national franchise associations with publicly published data
Primary sources (15 countries): IFA (US) · JFA (Japan) · DFV (Germany) · FFF (France) · CFA (Canada) · ABF (Brazil) · BFA (UK) · KFTC (South Korea) · Assofranchising (Italy) · AEF (Spain) · NFV (Netherlands) · FASA (South Africa) · APF (Portugal) · FANZ (New Zealand) · AAMF (Argentina)
Exchange rates: Jun 2026 — EUR/USD 1.10 · GBP/USD 1.27 · AUD/USD 0.66 · JPY/USD 150 · BRL/USD 0.185 · CAD/USD 0.74
Market sizes use each association's own metric — not directly comparable across countries.
Secondary and estimated data sourced from government bodies, trade associations, and US Commercial Guides (trade.gov).
Local conditions vary. Always engage a qualified local franchise consultant before investing.