Are contributions and/or expenditures on MACA advertising and promotions in addition to all other advertising expenditures required in the Apricot Lane Franchise Agreement?

According to the 2025 Apricot Lane Franchise Disclosure Document, contributions and expenditures related to Marketing and Advertising Coverage Area (MACA) promotions are in addition to all other advertising expenditures required in the Franchise Agreement. An MACA is designated by Apricot Lane at its discretion, covering a local or regional area with at least two other Specialty Stores, including the franchisee's store.

Apricot Lane will provide a list of all retail stores within the MACA who will be included in the MACA promotion, along with written guidelines for timing, placement, and payment of advertising and promotions. The required annual expenditure by each store within the MACA will not exceed $4,000 total for the year.

This means that as an Apricot Lane franchisee, you may be required to participate in MACA promotions if your store is located within a designated area. These MACA expenses are separate from other advertising obligations, such as the grand opening marketing, the Marketing, Advertising and Development Fund contribution, and the local advertising spending requirements. Therefore, franchisees need to budget for these potential additional costs when planning their overall marketing expenses.