RETAIL FOOD GROUP CO-BRAND STRATEGY – A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS IN THE AUSTRALIAN FRANCHISING SECTOR

This paper describes a case study of the Retail Food Group (RFG) and its co-branding arrangements. Co-branding is becoming increasingly popular in franchised retailing as a means of stimulating growth in a mature sector. This case study provides an organisational perspective of co-branding extending existing literature away from product specific co-branding to a retail format. The study reveals that incentives for introducing other franchised retail brands into the Retail Food Group brand portfolio include search for a suitable retail brand; attracting new customers; and resilience from internal and external competition. This preliminary investigation provides a starting point for a broader research study into co-branded franchising arrangements