home based franchise

LEXINGTON, KY – PRNewswire

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) — a leading worldwide supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services – has been named 2018 Product of the Year in the Car Care Category for its recently launched Easy Pour Bottle.  Product of the Year is the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, where winners are backed by the votes of 40,000 consumers in a national representative survey conducted by research partner Kantar TNS, a global leader in consumer insights.

“For more than 150 years, Valvoline has been at the forefront of product innovation, and we are honored that the new Easy Pour Bottle has been selected as a 2018 Product of the Year Award winner,” said Heidi Matheys, Valvoline chief marketing officer. “This new-to-the-world package allowed us to reinvent the process of changing your oil – making it easier than ever before for DIYers to maintain their vehicles.”

Highlights of Valvoline’s new Easy Pour Bottle include:

• Easy Pull Tab™ – Makes opening the bottle clean and simple.
• Precision Pour Spout™  – Provides accurate pour and clean cut off for a mess-free experience.
• Anti-Glug Tube™– Provides a glug-free pour for a faster, cleaner and easier oil change.
• Resealable Overcap with No-Slip Grip™ – Helps prevent spillage and provides safe storage.
• Centralized Handle – Makes for a more confident pick up, transport and pour.

For over 30 years, Product of the Year has guided consumers to the best products on the market across 37 countries, while rewarding manufacturers for quality and innovation. Each year, Product of the Year takes entries from new consumer products launched within the previous year that demonstrate advancement within their industry.

“Product of the Year’s distinctive red seal of approval continues to help shoppers find the best new product on the shelves and give the winners a well-earned competitive advantage,” said Mike Nolan, CEO of Product of the Year.

Product of the Year nominations are placed into categories, and one product is named the winner of each category based on the results of the consumer survey. The complete list of 31 winners selected to receive the 2018 Product of the Year Award can be found at productoftheyearusa.com.

Forbes Business Development Council Is an Invitation-Only Community for Senior-Level Sales and Business Development Executives

HUNTERSVILLE, NC -PRWEB

Jeff Dudan, Founder and CEO of AdvantaClean, the nation’s leading franchised provider of Light Environmental Services, has been accepted into the Forbes Business Development Council, an invitation-only community for senior-level sales and business development executives.

Dudan joins other Forbes Business Development Council members, who are hand-selected, to become part of a curated network of successful peers and get access to a variety of exclusive benefits and resources, including the opportunity to submit thought leadership articles and short tips on industry-related topics for publishing on Forbes.com.

Forbes Councils combines an innovative, high-touch approach to community management perfected by the team behind Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) with the extensive resources and global reach of Forbes. As a result, Forbes Council members get access to the people, benefits and expertise they need to grow their businesses — and a dedicated member concierge who acts as an extension of their own team, providing personalized one-on-one support.

“I’m very excited to be selected to the Forbes Business Development Council,” said Jeff Dudan. “This is a great opportunity to work with other peers in the franchise community to serve as thought leaders and produce valuable resources to help grow our business.”

Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, says, “We are honored to welcome Jeff into the community. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to curate successful professionals from every industry, creating a vetted, social capital-driven network that helps every member make an even greater impact on the business world.”

DENVER, CO – PRNewswire

In celebration of its dedicated employees, Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) announced enhancements to benefits that will reach all of its 71,000 employees. These enhancements, which include special cash and stock bonuses and enhanced paid parental leave, are part of the company’s ongoing commitment to advancing both the professional and personal lives of its employees. Resulting from savings due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the new benefits have already begun rolling out to Chipotle employees.

“We have always been proud of our ability to attract and retain top talent who share our passion for cooking delicious food by hand and creating an extraordinary guest experience,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and CEO at Chipotle. “We’re giving back to these committed, motivated, and hardworking team members who have made Chipotle what it is today.”

Chipotle will reinvest more than one-third of its anticipated savings from tax law changes into its employees. The remainder of the reinvestment will be dedicated to improvement of restaurant facilities and operations. New employee benefits include:

Accelerated Training Programs. More training programs for employees, including a formalized classroom program with a dedicated faculty that will focus on a range of topics related to operational excellence and leadership.
Cash & Stock Bonuses. Qualified hourly and salaried restaurant employees will receive a special one-time cash bonus of up to $1,000. Qualified staff employees will receive a one-time stock grant.
Maternity/Paternity Coverage. Additional paid parental leave coverage for everyone from hourly managers to salaried employees.
Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability. The company has added life insurance and short-term disability insurance coverage for hourly restaurant managers.
These new offerings are in addition to a unique set of benefits the company already offers to employees, including both hourly and salaried workers. Chipotle currently provides twice annual merit increases for hourly employees, paid vacation and sick time, and stock awards to the restaurant manager level. Additionally, the company has made a significant investment in educational benefits for employees. Chipotle offers up to $5,250 in tuition reimbursement, and through a partnership with Guild Education, the company offers reduced-cost courses and degree programs at a number of colleges and universities. The educational program includes more than 10,000 class and program options and since the inception of the program, nearly 6,000 Chipotle employees have taken advantage of the program.

“We have always been committed to making Chipotle a great place to work with excellent compensation and benefits,” said Ells. “With these expanded offerings, we’re thanking our employees for their hard work and dedication to our company.”

DALLAS — (February 7, 2018) — According to U.S. News, about 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. But that’s not the case for Gold’s Gym Franchising LLC, where business is stronger than ever. The world’s most iconic fitness chain will flex its muscle even more in 2018, with plans to expand beyond its 700+ locations in 28 countries around the world.

“The demand for Gold’s Gym is dominating new domestic and international markets and the results speak volumes not only for our franchise owners and master developers but also for our 3 million members living stronger and healthier lives,” said Craig Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Franchise and Licensing for Gold’s Gym.

Capping off a strong year of franchise development in 2017, Gold’s Gym celebrated 49 new gym openings, including the two largest Gold’s Gym locations ever built. Amman, Jordan, and Alexandria, Egypt, each opened new facilities with more than 150,000 square feet. Among other highlights:
International growth included 15 new gyms in India, seven new gyms in Japan, and rapid expansion in Saudi Arabia where Gold’s Gym will more than double in size to 21 gyms this year.
Gold’s Gym Egypt celebrated its 20th anniversary.
A new agreement was awarded for Iraq.

“Our global footprint is in the best shape financially and physically to make 2018 our strongest year to-date,” said Ken Phipps, Director of Global Franchising Development for Gold’s Gym.

Gold’s Gym plans to expand in Europe, China and Qatar as domestic franchise development also targets another 25 gyms in the U.S. across hot markets including Tampa; Orlando; Minneapolis; San Jose, Calif.; Atlanta and the New York metro area.

Meanwhile, consumer demand continues to escalate. According to a recent survey, Americans now spend more on fitness in their lifetime than they do on college tuition. In a search to fit physical and mental well-being into busy lifestyles, men and women invest an average of $155 per month on gym memberships, personal trainers, meal supplements and workout gear.

“Today’s Gold’s Gym prototype addresses all of those wants and needs,” said Phipps. “We are the brand that invented the fitness craze more than 50 years ago, and now we are redefining it with the new Gold’s Gym experience. Our members choose from personal training, group exercise classes, GOLD’S STUDIO®, and our GOLD’S AMP™ app that also puts a digital personal trainer in their pocket. Combine that with the latest cardio equipment, free weights, spin studios and more, and there is something for everyone, whether they like to work out alone or tackle fitness goals with a group.”

Those features have helped Gold’s Gym achieve a 20.73% EBITDA for the domestic investor, attracting a crowd of franchisees seeking a healthy business and healthy profits with a dominant global brand.

“We are living that reality alongside our franchise partners,” Sherwood added. “With more than 145 corporate-owned Gold’s Gym locations, we prove the business every day and support the business model that our franchisees also follow. That builds a level of experience and trust that will continue to move our business forward in a leadership position.”

For more details about the franchise opportunity, visit https://franchising.goldsgym.com/.

DETROIT, MI – PRNewswire

ComForCare Health Care Holdings LLC, the premier in-home care provider, and CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior placement franchise, have entered an agreement for ComForCare to acquire CarePatrol.

Recently backed by The Riverside Company, a private equity firm that handpicked new CEO Steve Greenbaum, ComForCare has more than 200 franchise locations in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. ComForCare’s acquisition of CarePatrol is a first step in realizing the company’s vision to rapidly expand its footprint in the older adult care space through strategic partnerships, organic growth and investments.

“In addition to expanding our service offering and portfolio, our acquisition of CarePatrol illustrates our objective of finding new avenues to carry out our mission to help people live their best life possible,” said Greenbaum. “As the largest senior placement franchise in America, CarePatrol excels at its unprecedented and objective approach to helping families find the right care solutions for their loved ones.”

CarePatrol has more than 150 offices in 40 states, with local senior care advisors who work with families free of charge to find quality, top-rated assisted living, independent living, memory care, nursing homes and in-home care. The senior advisors meet with families in person to assess a client’s care level needs, financial needs and general preferred locations before recommending the best and safest care options.

“Our acquisition by ComForCare creates a partnership that is rooted in our shared mission to be a trusted resource for families and older adults as they age,” said CarePatrol founder and CEO Chuck Bongiovanni. “Together, we will reach new heights in customer service and quality care.”

“When we invested in ComForCare last year, we saw huge potential to become a disrupter in the home care space, especially given the accelerated growth of the industry with aging baby boomers,” said Stephen Rice, a Riverside principal. “ComForCare has been strategic about its organic growth since its inception more than 20 years ago, and we look forward to amplifying this growth through investments in similar-minded companies like CarePatrol.”

BURLINGTON, VT – PRNewswire

For ice cream lovers who only indulge on special occasions or limit themselves to a weekly treat, Ben & Jerry’s has created Moo-phoria™, a new line of light ice cream with satisfyingly euphoric flavors. Suddenly, Wednesday is the new weekend!

Moo-phoria pints are full of all the wonderful chunks and swirls that fans adore, along with rich and creamy vanilla, chocolate, caramel and peanut butter flavors. What’s missing? Sixty to seventy percent fat and at least 35% of the calories found in traditional ice cream. Each ½ cup serving of Moo-phoria has 140-160 calories. And like all Ben & Jerry’s flavors, Moo-phoria doesn’t have artificial sugar substitutes or sugar alcohols.

“Ben & Jerry’s tries to offer a little bit of something for everyone,” said Dena Wimette, Senior Innovation Manager. “We’re excited to have an incredible new option for our fans who say they can’t be trusted with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in their freezers.”

Moo-phoria pints are available in three hard-to-resist flavors:

• Chocolate Milk & Cookies—Chocolate and vanilla light ice cream swirled with chocolate chip cookies. 140 calories per ½ cup serving.
  Caramel Cookie Fix—Vanilla light ice cream with shortbread cookies and salted caramel swirl. 150 calories per ½ cup serving.
  PB Dough—Chocolate light ice cream with gobs of chocolate chip peanut butter cookie dough. 160 calories per ½ cup serving.

In addition to the famous chunks and swirls, Ben & Jerry’s sources organic milk and cream for the base mix of each Moo-phoria flavor.
Moo-phoria is coming soon to grocery stores nationwide for a suggested MSRP of $4.89. Fans can use the Ben & Jerry’s flavor locator to find a store or Scoop Shop near them. Moo-phoria will also be available at Ben & Jerry’s online store at www.store.benjerry.com.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8266451-ben-and-jerrys-launches-moo-phoria-light-ice-cream-flav

United Country Real Estate has launched an online equipment auction website—www.UCEquipmentAuctions.com—hosted by AuctionTime.com, the leader in online only auctions for agriculture and construction equipment, commercial trucks and trailers. The website pulls auction listings (primarily farm and ag equipment) from hundreds of UCRE branch locations across the U.S. into a centralized platform for buyers interested in placing bids in weekly online auctions.

The new website (designed and hosted by Sandhills Publishing, the Nebraska-based tech company behind AuctionTime.com, HiBid.com, Auction Flex, TractorHouse, and a number of other brands) is powered by a cloud-based inventory management system that enables individual branches to upload equipment, register it for upcoming weekly auctions, and generate online listings with a few simple clicks. Listings are displayed on  UCEquipmentAuctions.com, where users can browse upcoming auctions, search for specific equipment, and place bids on auction day. Listings are also cross-posted to AuctionTime.com and TractorHouse.com and appear in the weekly AuctionTime print magazine in the weeks ahead of the sale to maximize exposure across multiple channels. Bidding on equipment through AuctionTime.com is free and easy, with free registration, no buyer fees, and no hidden reserves. Online auctions are held every Wednesday, with bidding opening on Tuesdays. Interested bidders can access listings online from any device, add them to a customizable watch list, and place proxy bids in the days leading up to the sale.

For UCRE, the platform works alongside its hosted HiBid.com auctions—www.UCAuctionSale.com—which include everything from land parcels to real estate and from other vehicles to estate items like jewelry, furniture, and electronics. When it comes to farm and ag equipment, AuctionTime.com and TractorHouse work together to provide an easy access point for buyers all over the world who are specifically in the market for these types of assets.

“Our network of over 4,000 brokers, agents, and auctioneers will gain a tremendous advantage for their clients through this new online equipment auction program with AuctionTime,” said Shawn Terrel, president of UCRE | Auction Services. “The platform will allow our hundreds of offices both nationally and internationally to efficiently list and market heavy equipment by leveraging one of the industry’s largest online equipment auction platforms.”

For United Country Real Estate | Rocking X Land Company—a Colorado-based office primarily serving Colorado and Kansas—AuctionTime.com has already provided substantial opportunities for consignment revenue. “The exposure we get through AuctionTime just can’t be beat,” said UCRE | Rocking X Land Company’s Virgil George, who expects the centralized United Country auctions website will only lead to more opportunities. “I expect the site will give us better SEO and market exposure overall and am looking forward to seeing the results.”

For AuctionTime, the website is part of a larger initiative: to provide platforms that effectively connect and deliver value to both equipment buyers and sellers. “We’ve worked directly with manufacturers and dealerships large and small to establish auction platforms that provide a clean, easy, and consistent outlet for equipment,” explains AuctionTime’s Nathan Stack. “UCEquipmentAuctions.com ensures UCRE direct access to successful weekly auctions, and the built-in exposure and flexibility each independently operated location needs to leverage it for growth.”

IRVING, TX – PRNewswire

Approximately 43.4 million 7-Eleven® chicken wings could line the path from the New England Patriots home field to the biggest football game of the year, whereas nearly 8.3 million pizza slices cover the distance from the Philadelphia Eagles stadium.

With the year’s biggest football event kicking off in a few days, 7-Eleven is helping customers prepare for watch parties around the country with offers on hot food items and additional essentials to prepare for The Big Game, as well as the morning after.

This Sunday is on par with Thanksgiving Day in American culture for gathering with family and friends, watching football and eating mass amounts of food. For hosts with the most or guests with the best contribution to the party, 7-Eleven offers deals on meals and snacks: large pizzas for $5.55, 10 chicken wings for $7.49 and five value menu grill items for $4. 7-Eleven has everything needed for a great game day feast, and at the right price.

“We enjoy the spirit and traditions that the end of football season brings just like our customers do,” said Jack Stout, 7-Eleven senior vice president of merchandising.  “We know what snacks, drinks and gear they want for this weekend, and we have it all without the crowds, long lines and picked-over food at grocery stores. We have everything our customers need in one stop to make cheering on their team hassle-free and enjoyable.”

When visiting a neighborhood 7-Eleven store this weekend, customers can be sure to find everything they need, including 2-liter sodas, cases of beer, chips, pizza, fresh produce and even sports gear for the game. Additionally, customers can stop by again the next morning for products such as Advil®, Gatorade®, coffee and hot breakfast items to refuel after a long night of cheering on their team.

The convenience retailer also encourages customers to take advantage of its 7Rewards® mobile loyalty program when shopping for game day treats. Shoppers can earn and redeem rewards points toward hundreds of 7-Eleven products including coffee, Slurpee® drinks, chips and fresh food items. The app is available in the App Store and Google Play.