factual

What actions are included in the de-identification process required of a 7 Brew franchisee upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement?

7_Brew Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, you must de-identify the Store in compliance with this Section 19.B and as we reasonably require. De-identification includes, but is not limited to, taking the following actions:

  • (1) beginning immediately upon the effective date of termination or expiration, you and your owners may not directly or indirectly at any time afterward or in any manner (except in connection with other 7 BREW Stores you or they own and operate): (a) identify yourself or themselves in any business as a current or former 7 BREW Store or as one of our current or former franchisees; (b) use any Mark, any colorable imitation of a Mark, any trademark, service mark, or commercial symbol that is confusingly similar to any Mark, any copyrighted items, or other indicia of a 7 BREW Store for any purpose; or (c) use for any purpose any trade dress, trade name, trademark, service mark, or other commercial symbol suggesting or indicating a connection or association with us.
  • (2) immediately upon the effective date of termination or expiration, you must take the action required to cancel all fictitious or assumed-name or equivalent registrations relating to your use of any Mark;

  • (3) you must at your own cost and without any payment from us for such items, at our option, deliver to us, make available to us for pick-up, or destroy, in any case within twenty (20) days after the De-identification Date (defined below), all signs, Marketing Materials, forms, and other materials containing any Mark.

If you fail to do so voluntarily when we require, we and our representatives may enter the Store at our convenience and remove these items without liability to you, the landlord, or any other third party for trespass or any other claim.

You must reimburse our costs of doing so;

  • (4) you must at your own cost and without any payment from us for such items, at our option, deliver to us, make available to us for pick-up, or destroy, in any case within thirty (30) days after the De-identification Date, all materials that are proprietary to the 7 BREW Store brand.

If you fail to do so voluntarily when we require, we and our representatives may enter the Store at our convenience and remove these items without liability to you, the landlord, or any other third party for trespass or any other claim.

You must reimburse our costs of doing so;

  • (5) you must at your own expense within twenty (20) days after the De-identification Date make the alterations we specify to distinguish the Store clearly from its former appearance and from other 7 BREW Stores in order to prevent public confusion.

If you fail to do so voluntarily when we require, we and our representatives may enter the Store at our convenience and take this action without liability to you, your landlord, or any other third party for trespass or any other claim.

We need not compensate you or the landlord for any alterations.

You must reimburse our costs of de-identifying the Store;

  • (6) you must within fifteen (15) days after the De-identification Date notify the telephone company and all telephone directory publishers (both web-based and print) of the termination or expiration of your right to use any telephone or other numbers and telephone directory listings associated with any Mark; authorize, and not interfere with, the transfer of those numbers and directory listings to us or at our direction; and/or instruct the telephone company to forward all calls made to your numbers to numbers we specify.

If you fail to do so, we may take whatever action and sign whatever documents we deem appropriate on your behalf to effect these events; and

  • (7) you must immediately cease using or operating any Digital Marketing and Social Media related to the Store or the Marks, take all action required to disable Digital Marketing and Social Media accounts, and cancel all rights in and to any accounts for such Digital Marketing and Social Media (unless we request you to assign them to us).

The "De-identification Date" means the date upon which this Agreement terminates or expires in accordance with its provisions and our notices to you in compliance with this Agreement.

Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 82–83)

What This Means (2025 FDD)

According to 7 Brew's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must take specific actions to de-identify their store upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement. This process ensures that the store no longer appears to be associated with the 7 Brew brand. The de-identification date is defined as the date the agreement terminates or expires based on its provisions and notices given to the franchisee.

As part of the de-identification process, franchisees and their owners must immediately cease identifying themselves as a current or former 7 Brew store, or as one of 7 Brew's current or former franchisees, with very limited exceptions. They are prohibited from using any 7 Brew marks, imitations of those marks, or any commercial symbols that could be confused with 7 Brew's branding. Franchisees must also cancel all assumed-name registrations related to the use of any 7 Brew mark.

Within 20 days after the de-identification date, the franchisee must, at their own cost, either deliver to 7 Brew, make available for pick-up, or destroy all signs, marketing materials, forms, and other materials containing any 7 Brew mark. Similarly, within 30 days after the de-identification date, the franchisee must handle all materials proprietary to the 7 Brew brand in the same manner. Franchisees are also responsible for making alterations to the store, as specified by 7 Brew, within 20 days after the de-identification date to clearly distinguish it from its former appearance and other 7 Brew locations. Within 15 days of de-identification, the franchisee must notify the telephone company and directory publishers of the termination of their right to use any phone numbers or listings associated with 7 Brew, and authorize the transfer of those numbers and listings to 7 Brew. Finally, franchisees must immediately stop using any digital marketing or social media related to the store or 7 Brew's marks, disable the accounts, and cancel all rights to those accounts, unless 7 Brew requests that they be assigned to them.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.