Tanya Kanaris, Franchise Development Manager of Degani
On growing the store count, establishing strong business partnership and strong collaborations.
QSR MEDIA: What makes you excited about your position?
Tanya Kanaris: I am looking forward to working with the Degani team to bring something new and unique to the retail café space. We currently have 70 cafes operating, mainly in metropolitan Melbourne, and have plans to add another 60 stores over the next two years with a particular focus on Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia. It’s an exciting opportunity to grow Degani into a franchise model with a strong national presence.
QSR MEDIA: What 3 goals are you focused on?
Kanaris: Top of my list will be developing a robust franchise model to accommodate the company’s imminent expansion across several different markets.
I would also like to see Degani’s franchise model become an example of industry best practice. We are creating an innovative, flexible approach to franchising whereby franchisees are an active participant in the establishment of their store, which will in turn assist them in their development as a successful small business operators, and that’s unique.
With plans to open 60 new stores over the next two years, franchisee recruitment, on-boarding and selecting store locations will also be key focus areas for me.
QSR MEDIA: What are your key business philosophies?
Kanaris: I am committed to establishing strong business partnerships between the brand and its franchisees. I believe that a strong collaboration process is the key to creating businesses that thrive. At Degani our focus is to work on all aspects of the relationship to ensure the franchisee is getting what they want out of the business.
QSR MEDIA: What previous positions prepared you for this one and how?
Kanaris: I have worked in the franchising sections of real estate brands Ray White and Harcourts before moving into the hospitality industry with The Coffee Club Group. At The Coffee Club I gained experience in all aspects of franchisee recruitment, franchise agreements and commercial lease agreements, which gave me the grounding I needed to take on a position with a growing franchise brand like Degani.
