According to Aunt Millies Bakeries, what trademarks are they licensing?
Aunt_Millies_Bakeries Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Marks in a timely manner.
Licensed Marks
We have entered into 2 agreements which give us the right to manufacture, sell, and distribute products under the "Sunbeam" and "Hillbilly" marks ("Licensed Marks"). We do not have the authority to file required affidavits or to renew the registrations of the Licensed Marks. In our License Agreement ("Roush License Agreement") dated December 10, 1975 with Roush Bakery Products, Inc. ("Roush"), we have the exclusive right to manufacture and sell Hillbilly Bread in certain areas of Indiana and Ohio ("Our Roush Territory"). If your Sales Area is within Our Roush Territory, you may distribute Hillbilly Bread products as well as Aunt Millie's and Koepplinger's products. The term of the Roush License Agreement is for an indefinite period of time, although we may cancel it by giving 120 days written notice. Roush may terminate the Roush License Agreement upon 10 days' notice for cause, including: our failure to follow Roush's recipes, our failure to maintain at least 40 grocery routes for the distribution of Hillbilly Bread, our failure to sell an average of at least 100 units of Hillbilly bread per route per week over a 30 day period, our discontinuing the manufacture and/or sale of the Hillbilly products for a period of 30 or more days, or in the event of our insolvency, assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition.
We derive the right to manufacture, sell, and distribute "Sunbeam" products from our agreement ("QBAC Agreement") dated November 20, 1946 with Quality Bakers of America Cooperative, Inc. ("QBAC"), of which we are a member. Our QBAC Territory includes portions of Indiana and Michigan. If your Sales Area is within Our QBAC Territory, you may distribute Sunbeam products as well as Aunt Millie's and Koepplinger's products. The term of the QBAC Agreement is for an indefinite period of time, so long as we remain a Member in good standing of QBAC. As members in QBAC for almost 60 years, we have no reason to believe that our right to manufacture, sell, and distribute "Sunbeam" products will be terminated in the foreseeable future.
There are no effective material determinations of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, or any state trademark administrator or court, any pending interference, opposition, or cancellation proceedings involving any of the Principal Marks.
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 29–30)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Aunt Millies Bakeries' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, they license the trademarks "Sunbeam" and "Hillbilly". Aunt Millie's has the right to manufacture, sell, and distribute products under these marks through agreements with Quality Bakers of America Cooperative, Inc. (QBAC) for "Sunbeam" and Roush Bakery Products, Inc. for "Hillbilly".
Specifically, Aunt Millie's agreement with QBAC, dated November 20, 1946, allows them to distribute "Sunbeam" products in portions of Indiana and Michigan, designated as their QBAC Territory. Similarly, a license agreement with Roush Bakery Products, Inc., dated December 10, 1975, grants Aunt Millie's the exclusive right to manufacture and sell "Hillbilly" Bread in certain areas of Indiana and Ohio, referred to as "Our Roush Territory".
For a prospective franchisee, this means that if their sales area falls within Aunt Millie's QBAC Territory or Roush Territory, they may have the opportunity to distribute "Sunbeam" and/or "Hillbilly" products in addition to Aunt Millie's and Koepplinger's products. However, Aunt Millies Bakeries does not have the authority to file required affidavits or renew the registrations of the Licensed Marks. The term of the QBAC Agreement is for an indefinite period of time, so long as Aunt Millie's remains a Member in good standing of QBAC. The term of the Roush License Agreement is for an indefinite period of time, although Aunt Millie's may cancel it by giving 120 days written notice. Roush may terminate the Roush License Agreement upon 10 days' notice for cause, including: Aunt Millie's failure to follow Roush's recipes, failure to maintain at least 40 grocery routes for the distribution of Hillbilly Bread, failure to sell an average of at least 100 units of Hillbilly bread per route per week over a 30 day period, discontinuing the manufacture and/or sale of the Hillbilly products for a period of 30 or more days, or in the event of insolvency, assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition.