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CFA CODE OF ETHICS
CODE OF ETHICS
The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) is dedicated to encouraging and promoting excellence in franchising in Canada. Each member of the Association agrees to abide by the CFA Code of Ethics and to further the Association’s goals of encouraging and promoting ethical franchising in Canada. Each member of the Association agrees to comply with the spirit of this Code of Ethics in its general course of conduct and in carrying out its general policies, standards and practices. The following are considered by the Association to be important elements of ethical franchising practices: 1. Franchise system and franchise support services members should fully comply with Federal and Provincial laws, and with the policies of the Canadian
Franchise Association. 2. A franchisor should provide prospective franchisees with full and accurate written disclosure of all material facts and information pertaining to the matters required to be disclosed in advance to prospective franchisees about the franchise system a reasonable time [at least fourteen (14) days] prior to the franchisee executing any binding agreement relating to the award of the franchise. 3. All matters material to the franchise relationship should be contained in one or more written agreements, which should clearly set forth the terms of the relationship and the respective rights and obligations of the parties. 4. A franchisor should select and accept only those franchisees who, upon reasonable investigation, appear to possess the basic skills, education, personal qualities and financial resources adequate to perform and fulfil the needs and requirements of the franchise. Franchise systems and franchise support services members of the Association should not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, national origin, disability, age, gender or any other factors prohibited by law. 5. A franchisor should provide reasonable guidance, training, support and supervision over the business activities of franchisees for the purposes of safeguarding the public interest and the ethical image of franchising, and of maintaining the integrity of the franchise system for the benefit of all parties having an interest in it. 6. Fairness should characterize all dealings between a franchisor and its franchisees. Where reasonably appropriate under the circumstances, a franchisor should give notice to its franchisees of any contrac-
tual default and grant the franchisee reasonable opportunity to remedy the default. 7. A franchisor and its franchisees should make reasonable efforts to resolve complaints, grievances and disputes with each other through fair and reasonable direct communication, and where reasonably appropriate under the circumstances, mediation or other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. 8. A franchisor and a franchise support services member should encourage prospective franchisees to seek legal, financial and business advice prior to signing the franchise agreement. 9. A franchisor should encourage prospective franchisees to contact existing franchisees to gain a better understanding of the requirements and benefits of the franchise. 10. A franchisor should encourage open dialogue with franchisees through franchise advisory councils and other communication mechanisms. A franchisor should not prohibit a franchisee from forming, joining or participating in any franchisee association, or penalize a franchisee who does so. 11. A franchise support services member in providing products or services to a franchisor or franchisee should encourage the franchises to comply with the spirit of this Code of Ethics. A franchise support services member should not offer or provide products or services if legislative or professional qualification is required to do so unless the franchise support services member has such qualification.
LOOK FOR EXCELLENCE
As you investigate the many franchise opportunities available to you, you will see a special logo featured in franchise literature, on franchising websites and in franchise tradeshow booths. This logo identifies franchise systems and franchise support services/suppliers as members of the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA). You should be on the lookout for this symbol when researching franchise systems or assembling a team of franchise support professionals to assist in your search. CFA encourages and promotes excellence in franchising in Canada and members of the Association voluntarily agree to follow the CFA’s Code of Ethics in pursuit of these goals. Start your search for your franchise dream with a CFA member. Visit FranchiseCanada.Online today.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY
M&M Food Market celebrates 40 years of putting meals on Canadians’ dinner tables amid the COVID-19 pandemic
BY STEFANIE UCCI
Since 1980, M&M Food Market has been putting delicious and nutritious meals on Canadians’ tables from coast to coast, becoming a trusted dinner guest and the country’s leading retailer of frozen foods.
In October of 2020, M&M Food Market celebrated reaching 40 years in business. However, while commemorating this milestone, they were hit with the unexpected and challenging journey of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through the difficult and changing times, the brand came together to implement new protocols to protect franchisees, staff, and customers while staying top of mind for hungry Canadians. They continuously evolve to keep up with dynamic and ever-changing needs, as seen through their “The Future is Frozen” mindset, which focuses on providing quick and easy frozen meals for customers to serve their families.
The future is frozen for healthconscious Canadians
In recent years, M&M Food Market has transformed to keep up with Canadians’ changing eating habits. Consumer insights identified key needs that helped shape the brand positioning of “Helping Make Real Food for Real Life,” which acted as the foundation for changes to more than half of their product offerings that were either newly created or reformulated.
Additionally, spring 2018 marked M&M Food Market’s success as the only food retailer in Canada with an entire portfolio of products that contain no artificial colours, flavours, or sweeteners, remaining a key differentiator that sets them apart from their competition. In addition to that promise, the brand offers more than 35 gluten-free products spanning across all of their frozen food categories.
A new shopping experience
If you’ve visited an M&M Food Market in the past few years, you likely noticed that many aspects of the shopping experience have recently changed. The M&M Food Market team worked together to reinvent the company through one of the most transformative rebranding efforts in the Canadian retail industry which began in 2016 after Searchlight Capital acquired the brand and changed the name to M&M Food Market and innovated virtually every aspect of the business. This included a variety of changes to the in-store experience to appeal to more people and stay top of mind for existing customers.
The new store design includes features such as a modern “kitchen” layout, no more counters, reach-in and easy-to-shop freezers enabling self-serve shopping, full-colour packaging featuring appetizing product photos, and new uniform and
training programs for in-store Meal Advisors.
In addition, M&M Food Market also created a fresh website for customers to shop online for products and schedule in-store pickup, curbside pickup at every store, or home delivery to most markets in the country.
Facing the unexpected challenges
As nearly every franchise across the country has experienced, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced its own changes and challenges to M&M Food Market. Fortunately for this brand, they’ve seen a spike in demand for their products and a significant increase in sales since March 2020.
Using quick planning and working closely with their valued suppliers and distribution partner, the M&M Food Market team managed to maintain a steady stream of products to all of their locations across Canada. They’ve even seen an influx of new customers along with old customers who have been re-introduced to their brand.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, M&M Food Market saw a significant spike in sales from their eCommerce channels during the pandemic as more customers shopped online to comply with social distancing protocols.
M&M Food Market’s number one priority is protecting the health and safety of their customers and in-store teams. They have introduced numerous safety protocols and changes, including a corporate sanitization program and employee diagnosis protocols, suspended in-store sampling, limiting the number of people in stores, curbside pickup, and more.
They’ve also recognized the need to support children, families, and seniors in their communities and did that through donating more than $300,000 in masks, gift cards, and food to hospitals, Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada, and HelpAge Canada programs.
Supporting their franchisees
With more than 300 locations across Canada, the M&M franchise is a wellknown and trusted Canadian brand that has positioned itself as a household name.
Franchisees have support from the moment they join the franchise, as they’re provided with the tools, training, and assistance they need to build their business. Franchise Partners benefit from joining an established brand with regional and national advertising, public relations campaigns, and more than three million weekly flyers sent to customers.
The M&M Food Market team is looking for new franchisees who are passionate about the brand and excited to grow their business with the backing and support of the franchise. As active members of their communities, Franchise Partners get to know their customers and get involved with local charities, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.
As for training, each Franchise Partner goes through comprehensive in-class and on-site training from experts in all areas and is offered ongoing support from head office and regular communication with Area Managers.
During the pandemic, M&M Food Market also introduced Real Academy, a new online training platform, to facilitate an additional layer of training for new and existing Franchise Partners to share best practices. The M&M team hosts training sessions and webinars in a virtual classroom to efficiently train team members regardless of where in the country they are located.
Prospective franchisees who are considering joining the franchise community right now should be prepared to work hard but can also look forward to the rewards that are well worth the grit.
A key to the M&M brand’s 40 years in business is their ability to never stand still, innovate, and adapt to the challenges of everyday while preparing for a brighter tomorrow.
A lot has changed since the first M&M store was opened, but their dedication to offering customers top-quality, simple-to-prepare foods, and best-in-class personalized customer service remains at the heart of everything they do. REAL Food for REAL Life. A Real Opportunity.
