World Franchise Gateway Launches! Kaohsiung Franchise Expo Opens, Propelling Kaohsiung Brands onto the Global Stage

The 2026 Taiwan Chain Franchise Startup Expo – Kaohsiung Edition opened grandly today (31st) at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center, gathering nearly 100 brands and 200 booths across diverse industries including food & beverage, retail, beauty, smart services, and AI technology applications. The event is expected to drive the establishment of over 800 new stores, create 3,000 jobs, and generate business opportunities exceeding NT$1.2 billion.

The Taiwan Chain Franchise Promotion Association stated that the Kaohsiung Franchise Expo is not only a key startup matchmaking platform in southern Taiwan, but also plays a vital role as a prelude to the '2026 World Chain Franchise Convention' in October, showcasing Taiwan's innovative energy and international competitiveness in the franchise sector.

Wu Yung-chiang, Chairman of the Taiwan Chain Franchise Promotion Association, emphasized during his opening speech that Taiwan has successfully secured the hosting rights for the '2026 World Chain Franchise Convention.' The event has already received support from central and local government agencies, including the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Department of Commerce, the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, the Council of Agriculture, and the Taipei and New Taipei City Governments. An image pavilion will be set up during the World Convention to showcase Taiwan's regional industries globally. Chairman Wu called upon the Kaohsiung City Government to jointly establish a 'Kaohsiung Image Pavilion' to integrate local Kaohsiung brands, souvenirs, and regional business resources, leveraging the World Convention platform to help Kaohsiung brands expand overseas and put Kaohsiung on the world map.

Chairman Wu pointed out that approximately 150 Taiwanese chain brands have already successfully expanded into 50 countries worldwide. Moving forward, the association aims to promote 1,000 chain franchise brands and cultivate 10,000 international franchise professionals, helping more Taiwanese brands reach all five continents and enhancing Taiwan's global competitiveness in the business services sector.

Li Yi-chien, Director-General of the Council of Agriculture's Livestock Administration, stated that the Council has long supported franchise exhibitions and will actively participate in the upcoming World Franchise Convention. He emphasized that promoting Taiwanese agricultural products requires a strong platform, and the Taiwan Chain Franchise Promotion Association is a key partner in agricultural promotion. Through Taiwan's network of over 200,000 chain outlets, the association continuously supports the promotion of domestic agricultural products and fresh milk, helping more consumers recognize Taiwan's high-quality produce and creating a win-win situation between agriculture and the franchise industry.

Kaohsiung City Councilor Lin Chih-hung stated that the franchise association is a crucial engine driving Taiwanese brands onto the global stage. He urged the Kaohsiung City Government to continue investing more resources to help Kaohsiung's distinctive brands expand into overseas markets through the franchise platform, enabling more Kaohsiung brands to go global.

Lin Kai-hsuan, Director of the Kaohsiung City Government Youth Bureau, mentioned that Kaohsiung possesses abundant youth entrepreneurial energy. The Youth Bureau encourages young people not only to create their own brands but also to reduce startup risks through franchise entrepreneurship. Franchise systems offer established brands, supply chains, and operational frameworks that can significantly increase the success rate of startups. In addition to providing startup subsidies, the Youth Bureau also offers legal, financial, and entrepreneurial counseling resources to help young people confidently start and grow their businesses in Kaohsiung.

The Taiwan Chain Franchise Promotion Association emphasized that securing the hosting rights for the 2026 World Chain Franchise Convention marks a significant milestone. The event will bring together franchise associations, brand enterprises, and international buyers from around the globe to Taiwan. By integrating the World Convention, Asia-Pacific Franchise Convention, Taiwan International Franchise Expo, international forums, business matchmaking, and the World Night event, it aims to build Asia's most influential chain business exchange platform. The Kaohsiung Franchise Expo serves as the opening salvo for this global event, helping brands secure early international market positioning and business opportunities, and officially kicking off the countdown to the October World Convention.

This year's Kaohsiung Franchise Expo features not only numerous well-known franchise brands but also exciting activities such as the 'Domestic Fresh Milk Battle Spinner Championship,' meet-and-greets with popular influencers, and multiple startup forums. By incorporating diverse content including entrepreneurial matchmaking, family-friendly interactions, and food-and-farming education, the expo aims to attract participants from all demographics, transforming the franchise exhibition from a mere startup platform into southern Taiwan's most talked-about industrial exhibition of the summer.