Is COUNTRY VISIONS obligated to make any payments to an Apricot Lane franchisee for any Innovations?
Apricot_Lane Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
All ideas, concepts, techniques or materials relating to an Apricot Lane Store (collectively, "Innovations"), whether or not protectable intellectual property and whether created by or for you or your owners, employees or contractors, must be promptly disclosed to COUNTRY VISIONS and is COUNTRY VISIONS' sole and exclusive property, part of the System, and works made-for-hire for COUNTRY VISIONS. To the extent any Innovation does not qualify as a work made-for-hire for COUNTRY VISIONS, you assign ownership of that Innovation, and all related rights to that Innovation, to COUNTRY VISIONS and agrees to sign whatever assignment or other documents COUNTRY VISIONS requests to evidence COUNTRY VISIONS' ownership or to help COUNTRY VISIONS obtain intellectual property rights in the Innovation. COUNTY VISIONS and its affiliates have no obligation to make any payments to you or any other person with respect to any Innovations. You may not use any Innovation in operating your Store or otherwise without our prior approval.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 33–34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Apricot Lane's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to disclose any ideas, concepts, techniques, or materials related to the Apricot Lane store, referred to as "Innovations," to COUNTRY VISIONS. These Innovations become the sole and exclusive property of COUNTRY VISIONS, considered part of their System and classified as works made-for-hire.
Even if an Innovation does not qualify as a work made-for-hire, the franchisee must assign ownership and all related rights to COUNTRY VISIONS. This includes signing any documents necessary to evidence COUNTRY VISIONS' ownership or to help them obtain intellectual property rights for the Innovation.
Importantly, COUNTRY VISIONS and its affiliates have no obligation to provide any payments or compensation to the franchisee or any other person concerning these Innovations. The franchisee is also prohibited from using any Innovation in operating their store without prior approval from COUNTRY VISIONS.