GFA Corporation (Thailand) Ltd, a restaurant franchisor, is talking with companies in other East Asian countries and the Middle East to sign up master franchisees of its ice cream "Cream & Fudge Factory" chain.

The company expects to seal some of the deals by the end of the year.

Fred Mouawad, GFA's chairman and chief executive, said yesterday the company was in talks in several countries including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, China and Malaysia.

Besides the Cream & Fudge Factory ice-cream shops, GFA owns Coffee World coffee shops, Pizza Corner restaurants, and New York Daily - a restaurant chain with US fare.

The cost of opening the branches in each country will vary depending on the size of the markets, size of locations, and how many shops the prospective

master franchisees are able to open.

In Thailand, shop models vary from kiosks requiring at least 35 square metres to shops requiring 100 square metres. The average branch costs Bt3 million to Bt4 million to open.

Overseas franchise fees will be the same as in Thailand: Bt800,000. Also, franchisees must pay 6 per cent of monthly sales in royalty fees.

Mouaward said the company was considering whether to manufacture its ice cream at central kitchens in certain countries and distribute to shops or manufacture the ice cream at the stores in smaller batches.

He said the company planned to open up to 10 branches this year, one of which will open by the end of this month at CentralWorld.

It also plans to open two branches at Suvarnabhumi International Airport after it opens.

The company already has a branch in Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan province and one in Phuket. It's also considering locations in travel destinations including Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui.

Separately, GFA yesterday launched a new promotion called "Golden Tickets" aimed at expanding brand awareness.

Customers spending at least Bt150 on ice-cream will get

the chance to win one of five

golden tickets, which entitle them to a free ice-cream every day for a year.

Cream & Fudge Factory serves 1,000 customers a day at its five branches nationwide, said Mouawad. Eighty per cent of them are foreigners.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation