Catalan franchises strengthen their presence in 124 countries and nearly 6.400 establishments.

 

Catalan franchises They continue their unstoppable international expansion, consolidating their presence in 124 countries with a total of 6.398 establishments spread across the globe.

 

According to the study, which covers data from 2024, 320 franchising headquarters operated in Catalonia, employing more than 73.000 people. Of these, 104 Catalan franchising brands managed to establish themselves in international markets, which positions Catalonia as the autonomous community with the highest percentage of franchises with foreign projection (33,4%), followed by the Region of Madrid (28,3%).

 

Xavier VallhonratThe president of the AFC, Vallhonrat, has positively assessed these results, emphasizing that "the number of Catalan brands with an international presence represents 40% of Catalan franchisors." This success, Vallhonrat points out, is not solely due to large corporations, but also to the contribution of SMEs"By combining the strengths of the three types of businesses, Catalonia continues to lead the way in exporting franchises created in Spain," he asserted.

 

Europe, Main Destination of Expansion

 

The European continent stands out as the main destination for Catalan franchises, accounting for 62,8% of the world total, which translates to 4.016 establishments. The following are important: America, with 21,3% of the premises, Asia (10,9%), Middle East (3,2%) and Africa (1,8%).

 

Broken down by country, Italy leads the ranking with 1.015 Catalan establishments, closely followed by Portugal (987). Germany, (482) France (481) and Mexico (365) complete the top five in terms of number of stores. However, if we consider the number of different Catalan brands present in each country, Andorra tops the list with 54 brands, followed by Portugal (43) France (29) Mexico (25) and Italy (24).

 

Hospitality and Fashion, Leading Sectors

 

In terms of business types, the hospitality sector is the one that exports the most brands, with 24 brands established in 24 different countries. Fashion is close behind, with 21 brands distributed in 111 countries. The latter accounts for an impressive 2.901 locations worldwide, compared to 194 registered hotels.

 

Other sectors with a significant presence in franchise exports include food, with 12 international brands, and specialty stores and beauty products, both with 10 brands each operating outside of Spain.

 

Vallhonrat also pointed to the emergence of new trends: "In recent times, franchises related to food, home renovation services, gyms, and laundries have skyrocketed," which bodes well for continued diversification and growth in the sector.