Deal Adds Franchisee Satisfaction Data To IFPG Platform
- The International Franchise Professionals Group has acquired Franchise Business Review, an independent firm that evaluates and ranks brands.
- Since its founding in 2005, FBR has surveyed tens of thousands of franchise owners.
- Founded in 2012, IFPG is a top-ranked franchise consultant organization known for its ethical standards.
- FBR data helps IFPG member franchisors, consultants and aspiring franchisees make educated decisions. Lenders and investors also use FBR data.
- Leaders of IFPG and FBR will meet with franchising representatives during the International Franchise Association Annual Convention Feb. 23-25 in Las Vegas.
The International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG), a comprehensive franchise growth platform that includes a top-ranked franchise consultant organization, today announced it has acquired Franchise Business Review (FBR), a respected independent market research firm that assesses franchisee satisfaction and brand performance.
“The acquisition advances IFPG’s long-term platform strategy by strengthening the analytical infrastructure behind franchise development in an increasingly data-driven and AI-enabled marketplace,” a joint IFPG-FBR news release stated. Since its founding in 2005, FBR has surveyed tens of thousands of franchise owners and, based on their responses, ranked brands representing a broad range of industries.
FBR will continue to be a standalone research entity that maintains its high standard of independence, the news release said. It added that, “within the IFPG family of companies, FBR enhances IFPG’s strategy of building an integrated franchise growth platform uniting development expertise, performance intelligence and industry engagement to support sustainable brand expansion.” The news release also noted that benchmarking is increasingly central to how companies’ boards of directors and capital partners – as well as franchise consultants – evaluate a franchise system’s health, scalability and long-term value creation.
The growth of U.S. franchising drives the need for data to educate franchise consultants, the matchmakers for brands and entrepreneurs. Franchise growth of 2.2% outpaced expectations in 2024, according to the International Franchise Association. And the association’s 2025 Economic Outlook predicted that the number of franchise businesses would increase by more than 20,000 units, or 2.5%, to 851,000 total units.
How FBR Strengthens IFPG
“Modern franchise growth is increasingly shaped by structured data and AI-informed decision making,” Matt Otskey, chief operating officer of IFPG, pointed out in the news release. “Benchmarking has become foundational to disciplined development and long-term scalability. By bringing Franchise Business Review into our platform, we are strengthening the foundation of growth for franchisors across the country.”
IFPG President Red Boswell agreed. “As franchisors compete for high-quality franchisees, validation and measurable data are becoming essential components of development strategy,” he said. “This strategic acquisition enhances the value IFPG delivers to both consultants and franchisors while strengthening the data-driven foundation of the franchise discovery process.”
The acquisition delivers an immediate benefit to IFPG franchisor members: They may opt into an FBR survey product designed to measure new franchisee satisfaction with their brand’s sales, training, onboarding and unit launch processes. Participating franchisors will receive performance data comparisons with industry standards, helping their teams pinpoint weaknesses and improve the franchisee experience in real time.
Looking ahead, IFPG plans to evolve FBR’s benchmarking framework into an AI-enhanced performance intelligence layer designed to help franchisors identify early indicators of onboarding friction, franchisee engagement risk and system-level performance variance before they appear in traditional lagging metrics.
IFPG CEO and Founder Don Daszkowski also expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition. “The possibilities are truly exciting. We can move from reporting what happened to predicting what’s next.”
FBR’s Take on the Acquisition
Eric Stites, CEO of Franchise Business Review, said the acquisition will benefit his company, too. “Over the past 20 years, our mission has been to elevate transparency and accountability within franchising through independent, data-driven research,” Stites said in the news release. “Partnering with IFPG positions Franchise Business Review to expand our impact across the industry. Their commitment to professional standards and responsible growth aligns closely with our values, and I am confident this partnership will propel FBR forward as a continued leader in franchise performance benchmarking while contributing to the broader growth platform IFPG is building.”
Michelle Rowan will continue as FBR president, working closely with Otskey and other IFPG leaders to widen FBR’s reach while maintaining its research independence and integrity. “FBR’s survey methodology and objectivity remain unchanged,” she emphasized. “This partnership enhances our ability to deliver meaningful insights to franchisors and prospective franchisees while preserving the trust our clients and franchisees place in our research.”
The IFPG-FBR acquisition was announced just before the International Franchise Association’s annual convention. At that Feb. 23-25 gathering in Las Vegas, IFPG and FBR leaders will discuss the growing importance of performance data with franchisors, executives and investors. For more information or to schedule a meeting with IFPG or FBR representatives at the convention, email media@ifpg.org.
About IFPG
Founded in 2012 as a membership-based franchise broker organization, IFPG was built to bring together franchise consultants, franchisors and suppliers in a collaborative, supportive community. Today, IFPG includes more than 1,500 members nationwide. The organization is regarded for its thorough Certified Franchise Consultant (CFC) program and known for connecting its members through popular year-round events, webinars and its annual Retreat. For seven consecutive years, IFPG has ranked No. 1 in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise Supplier category.
Its internal publication, Franchise Consultant Magazine, helps consultants better understand the brands in the IFPG portfolio while sharing insights and opportunities. FranchiseWire, an IFPG company, delivers timely news and feature stories spotlighting the people, brands and trends in franchising.
About Franchise Business Review
Franchise Business Review has built a reputation for independent benchmarking via proprietary survey tools and comparative industry analytics. FBR data assists franchise development teams, franchise executives and human resources departments with objective performance data to improve their onboarding, engagement and system health. The Franchise Business Review website posts an array of franchise articles as well as brand rankings. FBR also hosts the annual FBR Summit, an event designed for franchise operations leaders and their teams to optimize their support for franchisees. It is an executive-level gathering that focuses on culture, talent strategy and operational excellence in franchising. Registration is available on the FBR Summit webpage.
