Franchising as a business model is becoming an increasingly popular option for business people from ethnic minority backgrounds. Currently 7% of all franchisees in the UK are 'non-white' (source: British Franchise Association 2004) and of new franchisees i.e. those who have held their franchise for two years or less, that proportion has risen to 9%. However within the Domino's Pizza network approximately 40% of its 120 franchisees are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Andy Cooke, Franchise Sales Manager at Domino's Pizza comments, "Most of our franchisees from ethnic minority backgrounds aspire to own multi-unit operations. These franchisees tend to involve their wider family networks in the investment, set up and management of their Domino’s Pizza businesses. This provides them with a strong foundation upon which to grow and open more stores. "Franchising with Domino's offers an exciting business opportunity for anyone who is willing to work hard, who has a passion for the Domino's brand and product and who can provide superb customer service."

Niraj Madlani

Niraj Madlani opened Domino’s Eltham store, South East London, in August 1998. Originally a pharmacist, he was keen to apply his retail experience to a new challenge. Niraj says, "During a trip to America I was struck by the success and strength of the Domino's brand and became convinced that a Domino’s franchise would provide the business opportunity I was looking for. I was further inspired after talking to Domino's representatives at a franchise exhibition in Birmingham."

Niraj believes that one of the keys to being a successful franchisee is understanding the local market. He says, "I have implemented a local marketing programme to build brand awareness. Part of this includes school tours around the Eltham store. Kids love seeing how the pizzas are made and we hold box folding contests which they all enjoy. This has significant repercussions on sales - by forming a bond with the community and gaining their trust as a truly local business, you can ensure a more loyal customer base," he says.

Niraj also believes in the importance of teamwork. He concludes, "My staff are one of my most important assets - they represent my business to the public. It is important that everyone feels part of a team and pulls together, especially at peak times. This means that at weekends you’ll often see me out delivering pizzas during peak times. I also try and retain and reward my staff through incentives and bonus schemes."

Arshad Yasin

Arshad Yasin is a 35 year old British-born Pakistani. He began his career at Domino's 17 years ago as a delivery driver in Luton. Today, following a long managerial career with Domino's, he is a successful franchisee of four Domino's stores at Harlow, Hemel Hempstead, Luton and Welwyn Garden City.

"I really wanted to be a franchisee rather than a manager so that I could run the business my own way and reap more of the rewards for my hard work. I like the challenge that Domino's brings – on top of opening brand new stores, there's no greater buzz than taking over an existing store, turning it around and increasing the turnover by over 400% as we did! The secret to my success is product, service, image and safety. Nothing more complicated that than!"

Arshad is optimistic about the future: "The future is bright for me - I hope to open two more stores in the next year or so. Domino's is a great investment but you definitely need to work hard to make the most of the brand. If you are thinking about franchising and in particular Domino's, my advice is ‘go for it'."