Is the Bambu Marketing and Technology Fund used to solicit new franchisees?
Bambu Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We administer the Marketing and Technology Fund in our sole discretion. The Marketing and Technology Fund may be used for applications that promote Bambū shoppes, such as loyalty programs and other specialized applications that can add business to the shoppes, such as catering and charitable events. The Marketing and Technology Fund proceeds may also be used for researching, preparing, maintaining, administering and directing advertising and promotional materials and public relations programs, including production of commercial print, radio, television, magazine, newspaper, Internet advertising, direct response literature, direct mailings, brochures, collateral materials advertising, surveys of advertising effectiveness, Franchisee Advisory Council expenses, convention expenses, social media marketing, and other advertising or public relations expenditures, for any international, national, or regional media. We may also use the Marketing and Technology Fund to pay for the expenses related to researching, developing, implementing, servicing, and operating any technology used in any manner related to the Bambū franchise system or the Bambū shoppes, including any technologies utilized in or related to our website, search engine optimization, reporting of information for Bambū shoppes, the equipment used in Bambū shoppes, and Bambū shoppe computer systems (collectively, the "Technology"). We do not spend the Marketing and Technology Fund's money on soliciting franchisees.
Source: Item 11 — Franchisor's Assistance, Advertising, Computer Systems, and Training (FDD pages 28–38)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bambu's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Marketing and Technology Fund is not used to solicit new franchisees. The fund is used for applications that promote existing Bambu Shoppes, such as loyalty programs, catering, and charitable events. It also covers expenses related to advertising, promotional materials, public relations, and technology used within the Bambu franchise system.
Specifically, the fund supports the creation and distribution of advertising materials across various media, including print, radio, television, internet, and social media. It also funds the research, development, and operation of technologies related to the Bambu franchise, such as website maintenance, search engine optimization, and computer systems used in the shoppes.
In 2024, the majority of the Marketing and Technology Fund was allocated to brand promotion programs (63.6%), with the remainder spent on website and franchise resource center creative and menu design (32.7%), photography expenses (2.6%), software (2.6%), and miscellaneous expenses (1.1%). No portion of the fund was used for administrative expenses or carried over to the following fiscal year. This detailed breakdown provides transparency to franchisees regarding how their contributions to the fund are being utilized to support the Bambu brand and its existing locations.