Can the 7 Brew Brand Fund be used for the franchisor's general operating expenses?

We will account for the Brand Fund separately from our other funds (although we need not keep Brand Fund contributions in a separate bank account) and will not use the Brand Fund for any of our general operating expenses. However, the Brand Fund may reimburse us and our affiliates for the reasonable salaries and benefits of personnel who manage and administer, or otherwise provide assistance or services to, the Brand Fund; the Brand Fund's administrative costs; travel-related expenses of personnel while they are on Brand Fund business; meeting costs; overhead relating to Brand Fund business; and other expenses we and our affiliates incur administering or directing the Brand Fund and its programs, including conducting market research, preparing Marketing Materials, collecting and accounting for Brand Fund contributions, paying taxes due on Brand Fund contributions we receive; and any other costs or expenses we incur operating or as a consequence of the Fund. We will not use the Brand Fund specifically to develop materials and programs to solicit franchisees. However, media, materials, and programs prepared using Brand Fund contributions may describe our franchise program, reference the availability of franchises and related information, and process franchise leads. Of the Brand Fund's 2024 expenditures, approximately 35% was spent on new Store opening support and franchisee training, approximately 40% was spent on marketing-related activities (split among ad production media (8%), creative promotions (7%), and purchased media (25%), 20% was spent on salaries and benefits of personnel who manage and administer the Brand Fund, and approximately 5% was spent on technology to support marketing initiatives and analysis.

Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 34–45)