Where does your future lie? Whatever your ambitions and whatever your budget, there will be a franchise to suit you at the British Franchise Exhibition. Here, we profile some of the wide range of franchise opportunities you'll be able to visit at the GMEX in Manchester, as seen through the eyes of their own franchisees.(Exhibition preview)

BURGER KING Django Fung

Burger King franchisee Enigma Retail Ltd has been trading in the fast food industry since 1982. In 1999 Django Fung, who had been the company's operations director since its formation, undertook a management buyout, taking over as managing director and appointing a new finance director, Paul Golder. The new management set a target of expanding its business from eight Burger King restaurants to 14 by April 2004. With the 14th restaurant opening this month in Romford and the 15th due next year, the company will have beaten its target with a year to spare. Enigma today:

* Has 13 restaurants covering a stretch of East London and South Essex from Stratford to Southend-on-Sea

* Has an annual turnover of 9 million [pounds sterling]

* Develops and maintains a very strong management team

* Employs 380 people, half of them part-time

COMPANY ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE APRIL 1999

* The company has expanded its group of restaurants with openings in East Ham, Ilford, Stratford, Barking and two new drive-thru restaurants in Romford and Gants Hill

* The post of finance director was created, and two additional regional operations executives (area managers) have been appointed to greatly enhance the management structure

* Enigma set out to be the top performing franchisee in the UK Burger King system and achieved this in both 2000 and 2001. It is now the second highest performing franchisee in the UK, and remains the top franchisee of those with more than 10 restaurants

* All Enigma restaurants are categorised as 'Superior' by Burger King with regards to image and operational standards

* The company moved into larger head office premises with training and boardroom facilities in Romford in September 1999. This base was taken over with expansion in mind.

Django Fung …