Poppies franchisees celebrate seven decades of sparkling success

In the ever-changing business landscape, longevity and consistency speak volumes about a brand’s credibility. Poppies, a leading name in the UK’s cleaning franchise sector, has been the epitome of such enduring success since its launch over 40 years ago. This year marks an extraordinary milestone for Poppies as three territories celebrate a collective 70 years of unwavering service. Their stories are not just a testimony to their commitment but also a brilliant case study of the franchise model done right.

Poppies gives driven and innovative entrepreneurs from all walks of life opportunities to become valuable contributors and to help move the franchise forward. The new franchisee of Poppies Leeds, Dan Reid, is no exception, as he took over the franchise during the pandemic in advance of its 20th anniversary. Family-run Poppies South Tyne & Wear and Poppies Newcastle, owned by Andrew Wishart, are also celebrating 25 successful years of business.

Established in 2003, Poppies Leeds now delivers over 1,700 cleaning hours per month to homes and business across the region. Dan Reid purchased the franchise from the sole previous owner in early 2021. “When I first set out, my aim was to bring trade back up to pre-Covid levels, which was the peak of sales over the 17-year history,” said Dan. “While I’m thrilled to have more than doubled my target, what I’m actually proudest of is the reputation Poppies has built with our local community. Over our total of 20 years of trading, we’ve created jobs, provided our excellent service to our community and built an incredible network of cleaners. I’m completely focused on continuing to grow that reputation, and to expand and deliver the exceptional service people have come to associate with us to as many of our community as possible.”

Poppies North owner, Andrew Wishart, has reached an impressive landmark of 25 years each for two of his four territories in the northeast – South Tyne & Wear and Newcastle Central. Collectively, the Wishart family has been part of the Poppies brand for 93 years and the business continues to grow from strength to strength. Andrew has been involved in the family business since 1995 and then took over the reins in 2018 to carry on his father’s legacy. Together with his wife and a manager in the Northeast, they continue to run and grow a successful business. “We would not be enjoying this success without our great staff so a big thank you to them all,” added Andrew. “I’m really excited about the future for Poppies North and am looking forward to strengthening the business even further to allow us to cope with increased sales.”

“The longevity of Poppies is truly a testament to our network of franchisees’ consistent dedication and hard work,” said Chris Wootton, Managing Director of Poppies. “We know this is just the beginning for our franchise, and with a network of people like Andrew and Dan who embody everything we strive for, we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Poppies’ 40+ years’ experience and continued nationwide expansion in the cleaning industry shows that leading brands have been investing in staff development and protection since long before the pandemic. Today, the national network of 25 offices build their own businesses to suit their own ambitions and needs, creating over 500 jobs and delivering high-quality cleaning to every customer.