What is the definition of 'approved supplier' in the context of an All County franchise?
All_County Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
tly the only approved suppliers for any products or services.
Approved Suppliers. We may require that you purchase all specified services and products from us, our affiliate, or our designated approved supplier, as we may specify periodically to you during the term of the Franchise Agreement. Approved suppliers and specifications are determined based on the current needs for operating the Franchise Business. We evaluate approved suppliers based on price, service, quality, and other commercially reasonable benchmarks. The identity of approved suppliers and these specifications are updated periodically in writing by modifying the appropriate sections of the Operations Manual. We will send you modified sections by updating our web site, through the United States mail, or by any other commercially reasonable means.
Proposed Suppliers. We have procedures in our Operations Manual for approving vendors and suppliers you propose. It takes up to 90 days to evaluate new vendors or suppliers. We may approve or disapprove any supplier, and we may approve a supplier conditionally, provided however, that approval will not be unreasonably withheld. If you propose to use any brand and/or supplier that is not then approved by us, then you must first notify us in writing. You must submit sufficient information, specifications and samples concerning the brand and/or supplier so that we can decide whether the brand complies with our specifications and standards and/or such supplier meets our approved supplier criteria. In evaluating any supplier you propose, we will, subject to reasonable restrictions and conditions to protect our trade secrets and confidential information, disclose to the proposed supplier applicable standards, specifications, processes, and procedures for the item in sufficient detail to enable the proposed supplier to demonstrate fully its capacity and capabilities to supply the items. Within 90 days after we receive all requested information, we will communicate to you in writing our decision to approve or disapprove your proposed supplier.
We may prescribe procedures for the submission of requests for approval and impose obligations on approved suppliers, which will be incorporated in a written license agreement with the supplier. We may obtain from you and/or the approved supplier's reimbursement of our reasonable costs and expenses incurred in the approval process and on-going monitoring of the supplier's compliance with our requirements. We do not act as an agent, representative or in any other intermediary or fiduciary capacity for you in our relationship with an alternative supplier you propose and we approve. We may impose limits on the number of approved suppliers. We have the right to monitor the quality of goods or services provided by approved suppliers in a manner we deem appropriate and may terminate any supplier who does not meet our quality standards and specifications, as may be periodically in effect. We may disapprove any supplier whom we previously approved, and you may not, after receipt of notice of disapproval, reorder from any supplier we have disapproved.
We or our affiliate may be approved suppliers for any items. We formulate and modify, at our sole business judgment, specifications and standards we impose on Franchisees and suppliers. Specifications and standards are issued to Franchisees through our Operations Manual and to suppliers by written agreement. Other than us, Kwikrents, Inc., and All County Property Management and Realty, Inc., there are no other suppliers to the Franchise Business in which any of our officers owns an interest.
Computer Hardware and Software. You must use specified software and hardware for the Franchise Business.
Source: Item 8 — Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services (FDD pages 16–19)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to All County's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, an approved supplier is a vendor designated by All County from which franchisees may be required to purchase specified services and products. These suppliers are chosen based on factors such as price, service, quality, and other commercially reasonable benchmarks. The identity of these approved suppliers, along with the specifications for their products and services, are periodically updated in writing within the Operations Manual. All County communicates these updates to franchisees through website updates, mail, or other commercially reasonable means.
All County also outlines a procedure for franchisees to propose their own vendors or suppliers for approval. The evaluation process for these proposed suppliers can take up to 90 days. All County retains the right to approve or disapprove any supplier, and may grant conditional approval. If a franchisee wishes to use a brand or supplier not already approved, they must notify All County in writing and provide sufficient information for evaluation. All County will then communicate its decision in writing within 90 days of receiving all necessary information.
All County may prescribe procedures for the submission of requests for approval and impose obligations on approved suppliers, which will be incorporated in a written license agreement with the supplier. All County may obtain reimbursement of their reasonable costs and expenses incurred in the approval process and on-going monitoring of the supplier's compliance with their requirements from the franchisee and/or the approved supplier. All County may impose limits on the number of approved suppliers. All County has the right to monitor the quality of goods or services provided by approved suppliers and may terminate any supplier who does not meet their quality standards and specifications, as may be periodically in effect. All County may disapprove any supplier whom they previously approved, and the franchisee may not, after receipt of notice of disapproval, reorder from any supplier they have disapproved.
All County also states that they may terminate a franchise agreement if a franchisee purchases services and goods that do not meet the franchisor's specifications or are not sourced from approved suppliers. During the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, neither All County nor its affiliates derived any revenue from required purchases or leases from approved suppliers.