Who bears the expense of filing trademark or patent applications related to the Specifications for 7 Brew?
7_Brew Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Owner acknowledges that Manufacturer and its affiliates are the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Specifications including, without limitation, all copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, and other intellectual property rights related thereto. Any registrations or applications related to the Specifications including, without limitation, any trademark applications or patent applications, shall be filed at the option and expense of Manufacturer and its affiliates, prosecuted and maintained by Manufacturer and its affiliates at their option and expense, and any resulting patents or registrations shall be maintained, renewed, or extended at their option and expense.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 83–279)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to 7 Brew's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the manufacturer and its affiliates bear the expenses for filing any trademark or patent applications related to the Specifications. This means that 7 Brew, not the franchisee, is responsible for the costs associated with securing intellectual property rights for the designs, processes, and other proprietary information related to the 7 Brew system.
Specifically, 7 Brew and its affiliates have the option to file, prosecute, and maintain any trademark or patent applications related to the Specifications. They also have the option to maintain, renew, or extend any resulting patents or registrations. This protects the franchisee from incurring potentially significant legal and administrative costs related to intellectual property.
This arrangement is typical in franchising, as the franchisor owns the brand and system. By retaining control over intellectual property filings, 7 Brew ensures consistency and protects its brand standards. The franchisee benefits by not having to manage or finance these complex legal processes, allowing them to focus on operating their 7 Brew location.