Franchising has a long history dating back to medieval times, but is widely believed to have started with Albert Singer and the Singer Sewing Machine Company in the 1850s. Singer created a network of dealers who paid a fee to sell sewing machines within their territories, establishing one of the first franchise models. Franchising expanded in the late 1800s with industries like breweries and utilities. Modern business format franchising became popular post-World War II with chains like McDonald's. The Philippine franchising industry has grown significantly in the last 20 years from around 50 players to over 1,300 franchise concepts today, generating $11 billion for the economy.