Can the Azal Coffee franchisor assign the agreement without the franchisee's consent?

According to the 2024 Azal Coffee Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor, Durar Investment, LLC, has specific rights regarding the assignment of the lease for the premises where the Azal Coffee franchise is located. The franchisor has the exclusive right to be assigned the franchisee's interest in the lease under certain conditions, such as the expiration or termination of the Franchise Agreement, the expiration or termination of the lease, or the franchisee's abandonment of the premises.

Upon providing notice of exercising this option, the lease and all rights to the premises are automatically assigned to Azal Coffee's franchisor without needing any further documentation. If the franchisor fails to provide notice within the specified time, they forfeit their rights under this section. Both the landlord and franchisee must execute documents confirming this assignment, including a short form of lease suitable for recording.

Furthermore, the franchisor has the right to transfer or assign the lease to another Azal Coffee franchisee without needing consent from the landlord. This transfer to another franchisee relieves the franchisor of any further liability under the lease, and the terms of the addendum remain in effect for the new franchisee. This clause ensures that Azal Coffee can maintain control over the location of its franchises and facilitate smooth transitions between franchisees without needing to renegotiate lease terms with the landlord.