The 24th “Bayim Olur musun? – Be My Franchise” Franchising and Branded Dealership Trade Fair, held from October 15–18, 2026, at the Eurasia Exhibition Center in Yenikapı, Istanbul, has come to a close. Over the four days, while intensive one-on-one meetings took place between brands and prospective investors, key highlights of the fair included international expansion, selecting the right investors, location, corporate structuring, and sustainable franchise models.
Organized by Medyafors, with main sponsorship from Standards and Partners and media partnership from onbusinessinsight.com, the fair brought together investors and entrepreneurs with a wide array of brands — spanning gastronomy and restaurant chains, retail, education, real estate, logistics, technology, and service sectors. Throughout the fair, investment budgets, franchise and dealership terms, location expectations, operating models, and growth plans were discussed at the booths. While some meetings moved into the follow-up phase for franchise agreements, new business contacts were established that participating brands will continue to pursue after the event.
The Right Investor, the Right System, and the Right Location Stood Out
The shared message from the first day of the fair was that franchise growth cannot be measured solely by the opening of new branches. At the opening, Serhan Erem, CEO of Medyafors Trade Fairs, described the organization as “a gathering whose value has continued to increase for 24 years.” In the Franchise Market Talks panels, investor qualification, monitoring data on closed branches, transparent contracts and cost structures, employee retention, data-driven location selection, and the long-term responsibility within the headquarters-franchisee relationship were highlighted. Industry representatives agreed that capital alone is not enough, and that sustainable growth is only possible through systems, operational discipline, and the right match.
Franchise Market Talks Brought the Industry’s Growth Agenda to the Stage Across 17 Sessions
Franchise Market Talks – The Ecosystem’s Stage of Ideas, held for the first time in strategic partnership with Branding Türkiye, hosted 17 sessions over four days. On the first day, topics included Özcanlar Köfte’s 73-year growth experience, Mr. Okay’s 40-year journey in cosmetics and marketing, the UAE franchise and investment ecosystem, as well as investment, capital, and corporate structuring. On the second day, a broad range of topics was covered — from business ethics and location intelligence to brand creation in the Netherlands, Joad Lopez’s global growth experiences, the bureaucratic and operational roadmap for expanding into Europe, and the legal framework for transforming a business into a franchise chain.
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Europe and the Gulf Region Were the Two Main Themes of International Expansion
The participation of the Emirates Franchise Association delegation brought opportunities for master franchising, investment, and strategic partnerships between Turkey and the UAE onto the fair’s international agenda. The panel “Expansion into Europe Through Franchising: Opening Branches or Winning Markets?” highlighted that for sustainable growth of Turkish brands in Europe, country selection, local partnerships, tax and administrative obligations, and market adaptation processes must be planned together. The core message for brands looking to expand abroad was that it is not merely about opening a branch, but about building a long-term system by correctly reading the local market.
Contacts on the Fairgrounds Turned into New Collaborations
As brands established direct contact with potential investors across the four days, strong interest, productive discussions, and new collaboration contacts were featured in the industry press and social media posts of participating brands. The close attention paid by prospective investors to various sessions — ranging from multi-brand management to location analytics — showed that the fair was not just a platform to display franchise opportunities, but a meeting ground where decision-making processes were supported by knowledge, data, and experience.
The Fair Is Over, Brand–Investor Contact Continues
In the Bayim Olur musun? model, the four-day fair serves as the face-to-face meeting point for year-round communication between brands and investors. The approach emphasized prior to the fair by Özhan Erem, Chairman of Medyafors, “Our most important aspect is bringing the right visitors together with franchisor brands”, was realized at the 2026 gathering as prospective investors directly examined brands, compared terms, and carried discussions beyond the event. Contacts made and franchise applications submitted during the fair will continue through bayimolurmusun.com.tr.
Detailed information: www.bayimolurmusun.com.tr
