PERNAS HELPING LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS TO GO INTERNATIONAL AS FRANCHISORS OF MALAYSIAN BRANDS

KEPALA BATAS, June 8 (Bernama) -- Pernas (Perbadanan Nasional Berhad) through its internationalisation initiative is helping the development of leaders in the franchise industry, thus encouraging home entrepreneurs to grow domestically and become franchisors internationally.

Its chairman Datuk Hazimah Zainuddin said among the initiatives implemented were trade missions abroad aimed at promoting business development and connecting Pernas’ strategic partners to also attend the globalisation programme.

She said Pernas, which is a company owned by the Minister of Finance (Incorporated), was mandated to lead the development of the franchise industry in Malaysia and this year's target was to expand the existing franchises in the country to branch out to capture a slice of international markets.

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“Just recently, Pernas went to Dubai in conjunction with Gulfood 2024 Exhibition and Gulf Franchise Expo 2024 where Pernas was awarded ‘Best Government Agency in Franchise’ and we brought 10 famous companies and brands in Malaysia there including Mina, BubblesO2, Cheese U, Hot Pasta, Richiamo, Makeria and Lemongrass (as homebred franchisors to find franchisees in foreign markets).

“Pernas wants to expand those (home) brands abroad and at the same time we bring franchises from abroad for our local entrepreneurs to venture into and run the business here (as a franchisee for a foreign brand) in Malaysia," she said after the opening ceremony of the 2024 Penang BizFrancais (BizFranchise) Programme which was officiated by the chairman of the state Trade Entrepreneurs and Rural Development committee Rashidi Zinol.

Hazimah said Pernas also equips Malaysian entrepreneurs with capacity-building through the knowledge and skills needed to operate in an international trading platform.

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She said that among the capacity-building programmes held was the Soft Landings Program (SLP) at Swansea University, United Kingdom from Jan 11-24 this year, a programme designed to help Malaysian franchise entrepreneurs prepare to expand their wings to the international market, especially to the United Kingdom market and then to the rest of Europe and the United States.

In addition, she said Pernas also explored opportunities and potential agreements and business partners to bring potential international (franchisor) brands to Malaysia and the initiative was carried out through business missions to the United Kingdom, Istanbul and Doha in Qatar.

In that regard, she said Pernas has identified three international brands that have the potential to be brought into Malaysia to create more business opportunities for new franchisee such as the D Sara Fried Chicken brand which is currently receiving good response.

Commenting further, Hamizah informed that the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development through Pernas is targeting a potential funding of RM5.7 million in an effort to strengthen the franchise industry in the four northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Penang this year.

Pernas is implementing initiatives continuously in empowering the local public to grow in the franchise business by increasing their capability and reach out into overseas markets (with Malaysian brands).

“We are targeting 165 applications with potential funding of RM50 million for the entire BizFranchise (BizFrancais in Malay) Tour series this year including in three states namely Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak and last year RM25.24 million was successfully channelled to franchisee entrepreneurs through the programme," she said.

The Penang BizFrancais (BizFranchise) Programme is the second location for the Tour series this year after Sarawak and the franchise programme has been introduced since 2019 with 20 series organised across the country.

-- BERNAMA