Who bears the expense of applying for copyrights, patents, or trademarks related to the Bambū system?
Bambu Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Franchisee hereby assigns and will execute (or will cause its owner, officer or employee to assign and execute) such additional assignments or documentation to effectuate the assignment of all intellectual property, inventions, drink and food item preparation information, recipes, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets developed in part or in whole in relation to the shoppe, during the term of this Agreement, as Bambu may deem necessary in order to enable it, at its expense, to apply for, prosecute and obtain copyrights, patents, trademarks or other proprietary rights in the United States and in foreign countries or in order to transfer to Bambu all right, title, and interest in said property.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 52–209)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 FDD, Bambu bears the expense of applying for copyrights, patents, or trademarks related to the Bambū system. The franchisee is obligated to assign all proprietary rights, including copyrights, for any intellectual property, inventions, recipes, trademarks, and trade secrets developed in relation to the shoppe.
To enable Bambu to secure these rights, the franchisee must execute additional assignments or documentation that Bambu deems necessary. This ensures that Bambu can apply for, prosecute, and obtain copyrights, patents, trademarks, or other proprietary rights in the United States and foreign countries at its own expense.
This arrangement means that while franchisees may contribute to the Bambū system through innovations, the ownership and legal protection of those innovations ultimately rest with Bambu, with Bambu covering the associated costs. This is a common practice in franchising, where the franchisor maintains control over the brand's intellectual property.