Franchise Forecast 2006

Looking for a franchise forecast? Your search ends here, as we predict what will break on franchising's horizon in 2006.



Do-It-Yourself Meal Preparation
We knew it was coming. We saw the signs of a budding industry. It is, hands down, among the top franchising trends for this year. Do-it-yourself meal preparation businesses are reinventing the process of cooking by transforming it into a painless social activity. Franchises like Dinner By Design do all the hard work, including the grocery shopping, prep work and even the cleanup. The customers simply assemble the meals and, two hours later, go home with a month's worth of meals that they just have to freeze and heat later. "Our stated goal is to bring the family back to the dinner table," says Robin Perry, national director of franchise sales for Dinner By Design. "Forty percent of the meals consumed in America today are eaten outside the home."

Indeed, Americans now have little time for cooking. According to a 2005 nationwide ConAgra Foods survey, more than 70 percent of parents experience some type of stress associated with dinnertime. That stress, combined with a growing desire to be with family following tragic events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, make this business concept increasingly desirable and relevant in today's society.

Consequently, this category has long-term potential. "Whenever you start out in a new industry, the first question is, Is this going to be a flavor-of-the-month type of thing?" says Perry. "But this business is going to be here for a long time."

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