What does an Apricot Lane franchisee agree to sign to evidence COUNTRY VISIONS' ownership of an Innovation?
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 the 2025 Apricot Lane FDD, franchisees must promptly disclose all ideas, concepts, techniques, or materials related to an Apricot Lane store, termed "Innovations," to COUNTRY VISIONS. These Innovations become the sole and exclusive property of COUNTRY VISIONS.
To ensure COUNTRY VISIONS' ownership of these Innovations, franchisees agree to sign an assignment or other documents that COUNTRY VISIONS requests. This agreement helps COUNTRY VISIONS secure intellectual property rights in the Innovation.
COUNTRY VISIONS and its affiliates are not obligated to provide any payment or compensation to the franchisee or any other person regarding any Innovations. Furthermore, franchisees are prohibited from using any Innovation in their store's operations without prior approval from COUNTRY VISIONS. This clause ensures that all creative input related to the Apricot Lane brand is controlled and owned by the franchisor, which is a fairly standard practice in franchising.