Elite Franchise

What Elite Franchise does

Elite Franchise is a UK-based digital trade media publication and event operator covering the franchising sector, operating under the parent company CE Marketing Group (CEMG). The core product is the elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk publishing platform, which delivers news, interviews, analysis, and insight pieces across franchise-related topics including finance, legal, technology, sales and marketing, and people management. Its flagship monetised asset is the annual EF100 Awards — a UK franchise ranking and recognition program with HSBC UK as title sponsor, held at venues such as Leonardo Royal St. Paul's in London — supported by the Elite Franchise Live webinar series and the EWIB (Empowering Women in Business) event in collaboration with the British Franchise Association (BFA) and EWiF.

The business operates as a four-stream media model: recurring magazine subscriptions (digital and print), event sponsorships (EF100, Elite Franchise Live, EWIB), digital advertising and sponsored content on the website, and partnership programs with franchise directories (Franchise Supermarket, Franchise Local, Franrec, Point Franchise) and service providers (Worldpay, AdSmart from Sky, WorkBuzz, Platinum Wave Franchising). Customer segments split into two primary audiences — franchisors and franchise brands seeking visibility, recruitment, and award recognition, and prospective/aspirational franchisees researching opportunities — with existing franchisees as a secondary audience. GTM is event-driven and partnership-led, anchored by the EF100 Awards and co-branded events. Geographic focus is the United Kingdom, with Elite Franchise Canada representing the first geographic extension beyond the UK.

The technology foundation is a standard digital publishing platform (website with article management, event registration, subscription paywall, and EF100 digital guides), with no API, mobile app, or proprietary AI/ML components disclosed. Revenue is undisclosed; staffing is 11-50 employees within the CEMG group.

Name

Elite Franchise

Legal name

CE Marketing Group

Website

https://elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elite Franchise is a UK-based digital trade media publication and event operator covering the franchising sector, delivering news, interviews, awards (EF100), and live events to franchisors, prospective franchisees, and franchise service providers. It operates under CE Marketing Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Franchise Industry Media

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Franchise industry news
• Business magazine publishing
• Franchise awards program
• Industry events hosting
• Franchise lead generation

Headquarters

HQ city

Colchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Subscription revenue from individuals and businesses wanting access to Elite Franchise Magazine content, both digital and print formats.
2. Event Sponsorships: Revenue generated from sponsors of Elite Franchise Live events and EF100 Awards ceremonies, where franchise brands pay for visibility and networking opportunities.
3. Digital Advertising: Website advertising and sponsored content on the elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk platform, reaching franchisors, franchisees, and prospective franchise buyers.
4. Partnership Programs: Revenue and value exchange from partner relationships including franchise directories, service providers, and industry associations that appear on the website and at events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Elite Franchise is a UK-based digital media publication covering the franchising sector, providing editorial content (news, interviews, analysis, insights, sales & marketing, finance, legal, and tech articles) alongside the annual EF100 Awards program and Elite Franchise Live events. The publication generates revenue primarily through advertising, event sponsorships, and content marketing targeted at franchisors, while also serving aspiring franchisees with discovery resources, franchise opportunity directories, and event listings.

Product overview

Elite Franchise Magazine is a UK franchise industry media publication offering a portfolio of content and event products. The core offering is the Elite Franchise Magazine digital publication providing news, interviews, analysis, and insight across franchise topics. This is complemented by the EF100 Awards (Elite Franchise Top 100 Awards) - an annual celebration of excellence in franchising - and Elite Franchise Live events featuring webinars and sessions on franchise topics. The company also co-hosts EWIB (Empowering Women in Business) events with EWIF Awards, maintains a Franchise Opportunities Directory, and provides coverage of Franchise Shows and Resales. The publication is part of CE Marketing Group (CEMG) and covers franchise brands across sectors including food, home services, care, fitness, education, and professional services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EF100 Awards: Elite Franchise Top 100 Awards - annual awards program recognizing excellence in UK franchising
• Elite Franchise Live
• EF100 UK Awards

Products and services

• Elite Franchise Magazine

Quantifiable outcome

• Franchise enquiries have risen 41.61% over five years, indicating growing interest in franchise ownership served by publications like Elite Franchise

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• BFA (British Franchise Association)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe British Franchise Association is the longest-serving self-regulatory body for UK franchising, representing franchisors, franchisees, and professional advisors. Elite Franchise partners with BFA for industry events, EWIB conferences, and cross-promotion of franchising best practices.
• BusinessesForSale.comcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe leading international advertising platform for buying and selling businesses, attracting over 1.2 million global buyers and sellers monthly. Serves as a partner for Elite Franchise events including the exclusive AfterParty following EWIB/EWIF awards.
• WorkBuzzcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvider of The Best Franchise Programme & Awards, which recognises franchisors demonstrating exceptional franchisee engagement through independent franchisee satisfaction surveys. Partners with Elite Franchise for cross-promotion.
• Point FranchisecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA one-stop franchise resource helping established franchise brands find serious candidates and helping aspiring business owners find franchise opportunities that fit their ambition, budget, and local area.
• Franchise SupermarketcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFranchise directory partner helping connect prospective franchise buyers with franchise opportunities, integrated into the Elite Franchise partner network.
• Franchise LocalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFranchise opportunity directory and resource platform serving as a partner channel for franchise discovery.
• FranrecminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFranchise recruitment specialist directory partner integrated into the Elite Franchise partner ecosystem.
• Platinum Wave FranchisingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBFA-accredited franchise consultancy voted Supplier of the Year at the Elite Franchise Top100 Awards 2026. Provides franchise mentoring and support services.
• AdSmart from SkyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTV advertising platform enabling franchisors including McDonald's, Domino's, Puddle Ducks, Mathnasium, Snap Fitness, and Art-k to deliver targeted TV campaigns. Partner in the Elite Franchise network.
• Chantry GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFranchise brand partner integrated into the Elite Franchise partner network.
• Coconut MarketingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing services partner providing franchise marketing expertise, including resources on franchisee vs independent business ownership paths.
• Daltons BusinessminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness for sale platform and directory partner in the Elite Franchise network.
• Department for Business and TrademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK government department supporting businesses, integrated as a partner in recognition of franchise sector contribution to economic growth.
• EWiF (Encouraging Women into Franchising)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization dedicated to encouraging women into franchising, collaborating with BFA and Elite Franchise for annual EWIB events and EWIF Awards celebrating women in the sector.
• Ideas FestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents partner integrated into the Elite Franchise partner ecosystem.
• REV PRminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPR services partner in the Elite Franchise network.
• ShoutOutminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner in the Elite Franchise network.
• The Franchise ExhibitionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFranchise exhibition and discovery day provider enabling prospective franchisees to meet franchisors directly. Partner for franchise discovery opportunities.
• The FranchisedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner integrated into the Elite Franchise network.
• Natalia ShvartsminorOthersIndividual franchise advisor/expert partner listed in the Elite Franchise partner network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 1851 Franchise: US franchise media platform producing editorial content, rankings, and video for franchisors and prospective franchisees. Highly comparable as a digital-first franchise publication with a franchise-500 style ranking.
• Franchise Times: US-based franchise industry publication covering news, rankings, and events for the franchising sector. Directly comparable as a B2B franchise media brand, though operating in a larger US market.
• The Franchise Magazine UK: UK-based franchise publication covering franchise news, interviews, and opportunities for franchisors and prospective franchisees. The most direct UK-headquartered peer competing for the same audience.
• Global Franchise Magazine: International franchise media brand producing content, rankings, and events for the global franchising industry. Closest international direct peer, covering overlapping content categories and audience.
• Franchise Update Media: Multi-brand franchise media company (Franchise Update, Franchise Business Review, Franchise Times) producing conferences, publications, and research for the franchising sector. Comparable as a franchise-focused B2B media and events operator.
• Elite Business Magazine: Sister publication within the same CE Marketing Group (CEMG), covering UK SMEs and entrepreneurs. Comparable as a B2B media brand sharing infrastructure, events (Elite Business Live), and audience with Elite Franchise.

Others

• BusinessesForSale.com: Global marketplace for buying and selling businesses including franchises and resales; named GTM partner of Elite Franchise. Comparable as a franchise lead-generation and listing platform with overlapping advertiser base.
• Point Franchise: UK and international franchise directory and lead-generation platform listed as a channel partner of Elite Franchise. Adjacent in business model (franchise discovery) and overlapping in audience.

Regional players

• Startups.co.uk: UK publication covering startups, small business, and franchise opportunities, including franchise listings. Comparable as a UK-focused SMB media brand with overlapping advertising and franchise directory monetization.

Broad incumbents

• QSR Magazine: US trade media brand covering the quick-service restaurant industry, a heavily franchised vertical. Comparable as a B2B media brand covering a franchise-dense sector with similar advertising and awards models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EliteFranchise
• Facebookfacebook.com/elitefranchiseonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/11136532/admin/feed/posts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elite Franchise