INTRODUCTION
Franchising has been used as a route to the Kazakhstan market by
overseas businesses since the 1990s when brands such as Coca-Cola,
Adidas and InterContinental appeared on the market. Over the past
years, the country's strong economic growth and rising
household incomes have prompted other foreign franchisors to turn
their sights on the country, quickly becoming a leading market in
Central Asia. International brands such as Zara, Pizza Hut,
Debenhams, Mothercare, H&M, KFC, CHARLES & KEITH, Ipekyol,
Bobbi Brown and many others are currently represented in the
market.
Foreign and domestic brands use franchising as a business system
in nearly every industry that contains small and medium-sized
businesses. However, as in other Central Asia markets, it is most
common in the fast-food and casual dining, retail and leisure, and
services sectors. Many foreign franchisors prefer to work based on
subfranchising agreements with master franchisees in
