FITNESS: …and now, gender specific gym equipment! Gender specific gyms — that’s hardly news the way unisex gyms can be. But now it seems that women in India have had to make do with gyms expressly designed for men. Contours Express, the US-based supplier of the all-women cardio-fit circuit... More

A Dallas Cowboys coach, his wife and the family’s nanny have sued a McDonald’s owner, alleging they found a dead rat in a salad purchased at a Southlake restaurant. The lawsuit, which seeks $1.7 million in damages, was filed Thursday in state district court on behalf of Cowboys passing-game... More

Gulf News Dubai: Tourism and population growth across the Middle East are creating new opportunities for the region’s $14 billion franchise sector. Fast food accounts for 40 per cent of the franchise market, while fashion, education, healthcare and hospitality sectors are expanding at a fast rate,... More

News NO longer just a hobby business for the retired – Australia’s booming franchising sector turns over a record $128 billion, accounting for 14 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. Latest research out of the Griffith University Franchising Australia 2006 survey indicates... More

Msnbc Before you research any franchises, you should set three- and five-year goals. Goals must be both financial and “quality of life” (or non-financial) in nature. Financial goals should take into account cash flow, savings, net worth, equity build-up and spendable income. Quality of life goals... More

A retailer of specialty soups immortalized in a 1995 episode of the TV show “Seinfeld” is moving into the Denver area. The first The Original SoupMan store is due to open Nov. 10 in the FlatIron Crossing Mall in Broomfield. Gabriel Selko, who with Robin Braun are partners in Rocky Mountain... More

Bangkok Post Subway, the American fast-food chain, plans to expand in Thailand with a target to have 140 outlets nationwide within four years, and to raise total sales revenue to 2.7 billion baht per year. The aggressive expansion plan was outlined after the restaurant chain, which entered the Thai... More

Gnc the operator of General Nutrition stores, said net income in the third quarter grew by 336.8 percent from a year ago as sales were up in company-owned and franchise stores. Pittsburgh-based GNC said net income for the third quarter was $13.9 million compared to $3.2 million in the third quarter... More

Btimes EDEN Enterprises (M) Bhd is looking for investors and franchisees to expand its bakery and cafe businesses. Director of the food and beverage and tourism sectors, Abdullah A. Rasol, said Eden plans to set up bakery and cafe outlets in all major towns across the country. The franchisee will come... More

The Australian COMMONWEALTH Bank chief executive Ralph Norris believes he can teach the “elephant” to dance. And because the “elephant” has enormous economies of scale – if it actually does dance – then smaller banks will need to watch out or they will be trampled. To... More

News RETAIL group Retail Cube Ltd plans to raise $4 million in new capital and change its name in a bid to turn the company’s retail businesses around. The owner of retail chains Athlete’s Foot and King of Knives underwent a board change, with former chair Julia King, and directors Bill Bartlett... More

BTimes LOCAL family restaurant chain Red Quali Cafe said it plans to capture a 5 per cent share in the country’s fast food market by 2008 Director Arif Alif Iskandar said the target is achievable as the company will be rolling out its own franchise plan within the next six months. “We expect... More