
This study assessed the effects of incorporating social franchising on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counseling facilities and services. Social franchising has been shown effective in reproductive health services in developing countries, but there has not been enough evidence of its role in nutrition services. Facility assessments, staff surveys, counseling observations, client exit interviews, and interview with mothers were collected from Alive & Thrive sites in Viet Nam. Twenty Alive & Thrive health facilities were compared with 12 standard facilities in the areas of structure, process, and outcome. The Alive & Thrive facilities were more likely to have a standalone room for nutrition counseling, have staff who had better IYCF knowledge, and have staff with stronger interpersonal communication skills.