Growth can be expensive, but it is always more expensive when the expansion is taken without risk assessment. Whether domestic or foreign, many risks can be reduced or avoided by proper consideration of differences between where you are now and where you want to go. For illustration, the examples will be for foreign expansion, but the same issues confront domestic expansion as well.

Factors to Be Taken Into Account in New Territories

National chains offer localized products in particular territories. A hamburger franchisor offers biscuits in the South, and lobster rolls in the Northeast, and chili peppers on everything in New Mexico, even with all of its hamburger options. What are the consumer preferences in the new frontier?