What is the process for an All County franchisee to propose a new supplier?
All_County Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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.
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, franchisees have the option to propose new suppliers, and All County has a defined procedure for evaluating these potential vendors. The FDD states that it can take up to 90 days for All County to evaluate a new vendor or supplier. All County retains the right to approve or disapprove any proposed supplier, and may even grant conditional approval, but assures that approval will not be unreasonably withheld.
To initiate the process, a franchisee must first notify All County in writing of their intent to use a non-approved brand or supplier. The franchisee is then responsible for submitting sufficient information, specifications, and samples to allow All County to assess whether the brand meets their standards and if the supplier meets their criteria. All County will disclose its applicable standards, specifications, processes, and procedures to the proposed supplier, subject to reasonable restrictions to protect trade secrets and confidential information, enabling the supplier to demonstrate their capabilities.
Within 90 days of receiving all the necessary information, All County will communicate its decision in writing to the franchisee, either approving or disapproving the proposed supplier. All County may also prescribe procedures for submitting approval requests and impose obligations on approved suppliers, which will be formalized in a written license agreement with the supplier. All County may seek reimbursement from the franchisee or the approved supplier for reasonable costs and expenses related to the approval process and ongoing monitoring of the supplier's compliance.
All County emphasizes that it does not act as an agent or fiduciary for the franchisee in its dealings with an alternative supplier. They may also set limits on the number of approved suppliers and have the right to monitor the quality of goods or services provided by approved suppliers, with the authority to terminate any supplier that fails to meet their quality standards. Furthermore, All County can disapprove a previously approved supplier, and franchisees are prohibited from reordering from any disapproved supplier after receiving notice.