Has the number of Aunt Millies Bakeries franchises in Illinois increased or decreased since 2019?
Aunt_Millies_Bakeries Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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- The number of Aunt Millie's franchises in Illinois have decreased since 2019.
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- There is no formal training program and no Operations Manual for this franchise.
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- In the Matter of Perfection Bakeries Inc. d/b/a/ Aunt Millie's Bakeries (Case No. 21-AVC-F001, Illinois). From 2013 to 2018, the Franchisor was eligible for exemption from registration under the Illinois Franchise Disclosure Act ("the Act") based on its net worth ("large franchisor exemption"). In October of 2020 the Franchisor discovered and promptly brought to the attention of the Office of the Attorney General of Illinois (the "Attorney General") that in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 it no longer met the net worth requirements of the large franchisor exemption under the Act. The Franchisor was not registered under the Act between January 2019 and October 2020. Based on the information provided to the Attorney General by the Franchisor, the Illinois Attorney General concluded that grounds existed to allege that between January 2019 to October 2020, the
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 43)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Aunt Millies Bakeries Franchise Disclosure Document, the number of Aunt Millie's franchises in Illinois has decreased since 2019. This indicates a potential contraction of the brand's presence within the state. For a prospective franchisee, this information is crucial as it may reflect market challenges, changes in the brand's strategy, or other factors impacting the franchise network in Illinois.
Furthermore, the FDD reveals that from 2013 to 2018, Aunt Millies Bakeries was eligible for exemption from registration under the Illinois Franchise Disclosure Act based on its net worth. However, in 2018 and 2019, the company no longer met these net worth requirements, and between January 2019 and October 2020, Aunt Millies Bakeries was not registered under the Act. During this period, the company sold four new franchises and entered into new franchise agreements with Illinois residents without proper registration, which is a violation of the Act.
To resolve this, the Illinois Attorney General and Aunt Millies Bakeries reached an agreement where the company agreed to refrain from offering and selling franchises in Illinois without proper registration, offer rescission to the affected franchisees, and pay the State of Illinois $4,000. This situation highlights the importance of verifying a franchisor's compliance with state regulations and understanding the potential legal and financial ramifications of non-compliance. A prospective franchisee should carefully consider these past issues and seek clarification from Aunt Millies Bakeries regarding their current compliance status and future plans for the Illinois market.