Oldham’s Great Grass set for franchise-fuelled expansion

Artificial lawns firm Great Grass is set to expand across the UK after the British Franchise Association (BFA) gave bosses the go-ahead to franchise their business model.

The firm, based in Failsworth near Oldham, said it is the only artificial grass supplier and installer to hold the BFA accreditation and is now seeking prospective franchise owners.

The expansion plans were greenlit following months of scrutiny for the Greater Manchester company, which had every aspect of its business inspected and ran two year-long pilot schemes to ensure the viability and profitability of the franchise model.

Mike Allen, Great Grass’ managing director, said: “By creating a franchise model, rather than subcontracting, Great Grass is able to ensure that customers throughout the country will receive the same high level of service we pride ourselves on here in Manchester.

“Each franchisee must pass rigorous training to attain our world-class standards. We are so confident in our installation teams that every customer is provided with a Service Level Agreement and a standard 10-year product guarantee.”

He added: “Demand for artificial grass is growing at a rate of around 30% year-on-year so we expect huge growth in revenue for us and our franchisees.”

Founded in 2011, today Great Grass works with both residential customers and large companies including Premier League clubs Manchester United and Manchester City, sportswear giant Nike, and a host of schools and local councils.

Commenting on the BFA decision, Mike said he is confident new franchisees will achieve the same success as those who took part in the pilots.

He continued: “By purchasing a Great Grass franchise, we are giving people the opportunity to not only invest in a successful, working business model which achieves an excellent return on investment, but the chance to achieve a better work/life balance.”

The BFA approval means Great Grass is open to franchisees of all sizes, from sole traders to regional teams. The two pilot schemes, held in Manchester and London, both managed to become multi-team fleet management franchises from initial one-man projects.

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