For Bang Cookies, can the franchisor approve a proposed transfer of equity or the Franchise Agreement?
Bang_Cookies Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
itten consent of Franchisor, or otherwise in violation of this Agreement including, but not limited to this Article 14.B. shall constitute a breach of this Agreement and shall convey to the transferee no rights or interests in this Agreement; and
- (5) In the event of a Transfer of this Agreement that is approved by Franchisor, Franchisee shall not be relieved of Franchisee's obligations under this Agreement whether said obligations accrued and/or arose prior to and/or after the date of Transfer.
14.C. CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL OF TRANSFER
Provided Franchisee and each Owner and Spouse, respectively, are in substantial compliance with this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, and Franchisor does not elect to exercise Franchisor's right of first refusal as set forth in Article 14.F. below, Franchisor shall not unreasonably withhold its approval of a Transfer by Franchisee or an Owner. The proposed transferee (including such assignee's owner(s) and spouse(s) if the proposed transferee is a Corporate Entity) must be of good moral character, have sufficient business experience, aptitude and financial resources to own and operate a Bang Cookies Shop, and otherwise meet Franchisor's then applicable standards for franchisees as determined by Franchisor in its sole, but reasonable discretion. Furthermore, the proposed transferee and the proposed transferee's owners and spouses may not own or operate, or intend to own or operate, a Competitive Business. Franchisee agrees that Franchisor may condition approval of a Transfer upon Franchisee's satisfaction (either before, or contemporaneously with, the effective date of the Transfer) of the following:
- (1) Franchisee must provide written notice to Franchisor of the proposed Transfer of this Agreement at least 30 days prior to the Transfer, and Franchisee must have also satisfied the obligations set forth in Article 14.F. below;
- (2) All accrued monetary obligations of Franchisee and all other outstanding obligations to Franchisor and/or Franchisor's affiliates under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements must be satisfied in a timely manner, and Franchisee must satisfy all trade, supplier, and vendor accounts
and other debts, of whatever nature or kind, in a timely manner;
- (3) Franchisee, each Owner, and each Spouse must not be in default or material breach of this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements;
- (4) The transferee shall be bound by all terms and conditions of this Agreement, and each owner of the transferee and their respective spouses shall personally execute the Franchise Owner and Spouse Agreement and Guaranty in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit 1. Each owner of the transferee shall also be required to execute such further agreements designated by Franchisor whereby the proposed transferee assumes each and every obligation and responsibility of Franchisee as set forth in this Agreement;
- (5) All obligations of Franchisee under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements shall be assumed by the transferee, each individual owner of transferee, and their respective spouses in a manner satisfactory to Franchisor;
- (6) Franchisee, each Owner, and each Spouse must execute the General Release attached to this Agreement as Exhibit 8 releasing Franchisor, Franchisor's affiliates and Franchisor's past and present officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, agents, representatives, independent contractors, servants and employees, of any and all claims against Franchisor for matters arising on, or before, the effective date of the Transfer;
- (7) If the proposed Transfer includes or entails the Transfer of this Agreement, substantially all of the assets of the Franchised Business, a controlling interest in Franchisee, or is one of a series of Transfers which in the aggregate Transfers substantially all of the assets of the Franchised Business or a controlling interest in Franchisee, then, at the election of Franchisor and upon notice from Franchisor to Franchisee, the transferee may be required to execute (and/or, upon Franchisee's request, shall cause all interested parties to execute) for a term ending on the expiration date of the original Term of this Agreement, the then current standard form Franchise Agreement offered to new franchisees of Bang Cookies Shops and any other agreements as Franchisor requires. Such agreements shall supersede this Agreement and its associated agreement in all respects, and the terms of Franchisor's then current agreements may differ from the terms in this Agreement, provided that such agreements shall provide for the same Royalty Fee, Advertising Contributions, and all other financial or monetary obligations established in this Agreement;
- (8) Unless Franchisee has met the requirements of Article 3.E. within the five year period immediately preceding the Transfer, the transferee, at its expense, must improve, modify, refurbish, renovate, remodel, and/or otherwise upgrade Franchisee's Bang Cookies Shop Facility to conform to the then current standards and specifications of Franchisor, and the transferee must complete such improvements, modifications, refurbishments, renovations, remodeling, and/or upgrading within the time period Franchisor reasonably specifies;
- (9) Franchisee, each Owner, and each Spouse shall remain liable for all obligations to Franchisor set forth in this Agreement;
- (10) At the transferee's expense, the transferee, and the transferee's Managing Owner, Managers and/or any other applicable employees of transferee's Bang Cookies Shop must complete any training programs then in effect for franchisees of Bang Cookies Shops upon terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement or as Franchisor otherwise reasonably requires;
- (11) Franchisee must pay a fixed sum of $15,000 to Franchisor (the "Transfer Fee");
- (12) Franchisor's approval of the material terms and conditions of the Transfer, and Franchisor determines in Franchisor's Reasonable Business Judgment that the price and terms of payment are not so burdensome as to be detrimental to the future operations of the Franchised Business by the transferee;
- (13) Transferee's employees, directors, officers, independent contractors, and agents who will have access to Confidential Information shall execute the Confidentiality Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 2;
- (14) Franchisee entering into an agreement with Franchisor agreeing to subordinate any obligations of transferee to make installment payments of the purchase price to Franchisee to the transferee's obligations to Franchisor, including, without limitation, transferee's obligations with respect to Royalty Fees and Advertising Contributions;
- (15) Franchisee and transferee acknowledge and agree that Franchisor's approval of the Transfer indicates only that the transferee meets, or Franchisor waived, the criteria established by Franchisor for franchisees as of the time of such transfer, and Franchisor's approval thereof does not constitute a warranty or guaranty by Franchisor, express or implied, of the suitability of the terms of sale, successful operation, or profitability of the Franchised Business;
- (16) Franchisee and transferee acknowledge and agree that Franchisor's approval of the Transfer at issue does not constitute Franchisor's approval of future or other Transfers or the waiver of the requirement that Franchisor must approve such future or other Transfers in accordance with this Agreement;
- (17) The Transfer must be made in compliance with all applicable laws;
- (18) The Transfer of the Franchised Business, the lease for Franchisee's Bang Cookies Shop Facility, Shop Location and the assets of the Franchised Business shall be made only in conjunction with a Transfer of this Agreement, approved by Franchisor in accordance with and subject to this Article 14 and the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and
- (19) Franchisor's consent to a Transfer of any interest that is subject to the restrictions of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any claims it may have against Franchisee or deemed a waiver of Franchisor's right to demand strict and exact compliance with this Agreement by the transferee.
14.D. DEATH OR DISABILITY OF FRANCHISEE OR AN OWNER
(1) If Franchisee is an individual and not a Corporate Entity, upon the death or permanent disability of Franchisee, the executor, administrator, conservator or other personal representative of Franchisee, must appoint a manager that meets the equivalent of an Operating Manager within a reasonable time, which shall not exceed 30 days from the date of death or permanent disability. The appointed manager (as applicable) must serve and qualify as an Operating Manager and attend and successfully complete the Training Program within 60 days of the appointment.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 56–245)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Bang Cookies's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor's approval is required for the transfer of equity or the Franchise Agreement. Bang Cookies will not unreasonably withhold approval of a transfer if the franchisee and owners are in substantial compliance with the agreement, and if Bang Cookies does not exercise its right of first refusal. The proposed transferee must have good moral character, sufficient business experience, aptitude, and financial resources to operate a Bang Cookies shop, and must meet Bang Cookies's standards for franchisees. The transferee cannot own or operate a competitive business.
To gain approval for a transfer, a Bang Cookies franchisee must provide written notice to Bang Cookies at least 30 days prior to the transfer and satisfy obligations outlined in Article 14.F. All accrued monetary obligations and outstanding debts to Bang Cookies and its affiliates must be satisfied in a timely manner. The franchisee, each owner, and each spouse must not be in default or material breach of the agreement. The transferee must be bound by all terms of the agreement, and each owner of the transferee and their spouses must execute the Franchise Owner and Spouse Agreement and Guaranty.
Furthermore, the transferee may be required to execute the then-current standard form Franchise Agreement for a term ending on the original agreement's expiration date, which would supersede the original agreement. The transferee, at its expense, may be required to improve the Bang Cookies shop to conform to current standards, and must complete any training programs in effect for franchisees. The franchisee must pay a $15,000 transfer fee to Bang Cookies. Bang Cookies must also approve the material terms and conditions of the transfer, determining that the price and payment terms are not detrimental to the future operations of the franchised business. The employees of the transferee who will have access to confidential information must also execute a Confidentiality Agreement.
It is important to note that Bang Cookies's approval of a transfer only indicates that the transferee meets the criteria for franchisees at the time of transfer and does not constitute a warranty or guarantee of successful operation or profitability. The approval does not waive the requirement for Bang Cookies to approve future transfers. The transfer must comply with all applicable laws, and the transfer of the business, lease, and assets must be made in conjunction with an approved transfer of the Franchise Agreement.