Franz Madlener pulls off Villa & Hut rescue but still faces bankruptcy fight
Wednesday, 05 January 2011
Villa & Hut founder Franz Madlener has finally managed to rescue his beloved retail chain from the wreckage of collapsed franchisor Allied Brands, and says he will now concentrate on staving off personal bankruptcy related to debts due to Allied's woes. ...

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The best & the worst of 2010
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
It has been a long and exhausting year for Australia’s entrepreneurs, who have had to deal with everything from rising interest rates to state and federal elections and a string of high-profiled company collapses.  ...

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Mrs. Fields to buy collapsed Cookie Man chain
Friday, 03 December 2010
Franchise chain Cookie Man has been rescued from liquidation, with former rival Mrs. Fields acquiring the brand in a deal announced this morning.  ...

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Sale of collapsed franchise chain Cookie Man close
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
The sale of Allied Brands' former franchise chain Cooke Man could be completed by the end of the week, although the liquidator of the group has denied Indian press reports that an Indian group has already purchased the company.  ...

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Allied Brands comeback?
Monday, 22 November 2010
Collapsed franchise brand manager Allied Brands remains listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, so getting any information out of the administrators has not been easy – basically, everything they can formally announce has to go through the ASX.  ...

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PBL considering $5 billion float, will partner with Hulu.com, Ireland agrees to bailout: Economy Roundup
Monday, 22 November 2010
PBL Media is reportedly planning a $5 billion float next year that will see the company join up with American video streaming site Hulu and welcome back Microsoft executive Daniel Petre to the board.  ...

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National rules best for franchising
Monday, 15 November 2010
Things are never dull in Australia's franchise sector. In the last few years, the industry has seen three separate Parliamentary inquiries, changes to the national Franchising Code, some ugly collapses (most notable Kleins and Kleenmaid) – and all the while, ...

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Madlener’s high price
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Villa & Hut founder Franz Madlener tried his hardest today to put a positive spin on what must loom as one of the toughest days in his career.  ...

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Villa & Hut founder Franz Madlener facing bankruptcy, administrators shut 10 stores
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Villa & Hut founder Franz Madlener says he is almost certain to be declared personally bankrupt, with more than 12 landlords, suppliers and finance companies chasing amounts that Madlener personally guaranteed when he owned the Villa & Hut chain.  ...

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Franz Madlener to continue push to buy back Villa & Hut chain from Allied Brand administrators
Wednesday, 03 November 2010
Villa & Hut founder Franz Madlener says he will continue with attempts to extract the chain out of Allied Brands and will begin discussions with the company's administrators.  ...

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Allied Brand’s losing battle
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
It’s not hard to feel just a little sorry for Allied Brands chief executive Sean Corbin, who this morning was given the horrible task of putting his company into administration.  ...

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Allied Brands collapses into administration
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Listed franchise brand manager Allied Brands has lost its battle for survival, with the company placed in voluntary administration this morning.  ...

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Running out of options
Friday, 22 October 2010
News that Allied Brands has finally lost the Australian master franchise rights to the Baskin Robbins chain appears to leave the company with very few options – in a few short months, the business has been reduced to almost nothing.  ...

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Allied Brands subsidiaries in receivership, loss of Baskin Robbins franchise rights leaves group with few options
Friday, 22 October 2010
Two key subsidiaries of listed franchise brand manager Allied Brands have been placed into receivership after the US owner of the Baskin Robbins brand terminated Allied's Australian master franchise agreement.  ...

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Allied Brands loses Baskin Robbins franchise rights, receivers appointed to subsidiary
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Listed franchise brand manager Allied Brands now looks perilously close to collapse after the company was stripped of its Australian franchise rights for the Baskin Robbins franchise by the US owner of the brand, Dunkin' Brands.  ...

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Franchisors look to increase number of multi-unit franchisees as recruitment gets tougher
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
A new survey of franchisor chief executives has found 60% intend to increase franchisee numbers by encouraging existing franchisees to open more stores, as the struggle to recruit of new franchisees continues.  ...

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Franchised Food Co. says it’s open to talks with Baskin Robbins, Cookie Man franchisees
Friday, 15 October 2010
Franchise brand manager Franchised Food Company is looming as a potential winner from the woes of Allied Brands, with executive chairman Stan Gordon in talks with the liquidators of Cookie Man and declaring he is open to talks with Baskin Robbins franchisees. ...

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Allied Brands admits falling behind on super payments
Monday, 11 October 2010
Embattled Allied Brands chief executive Sean Corbin has admitted that the company has fallen behind on some employees' superannuation payments, in another blow for the firm's franchisees and staff.  ...

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Chinese franchisees target Australia as local chains look offshore for growth
Friday, 08 October 2010
Chinese entrepreneurs aren't just targeting Australia's mining and manufacturing sectors – new research into the franchising sector suggests Chinese nationals are also targeting the Australian franchise sector.  ...

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SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: Department of Immigration accuses Allied Brands of breaching immigration laws
Thursday, 07 October 2010
The Department of Immigration & Citizenship has accused Allied Brands of breaching immigration laws by running an elaborate immigration rort where it sponsored a group of Korean nationals to work in administrative roles under 457 visas, put them to work ...

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