What actions are franchisees prohibited from taking with the Ben Jerrys Manual and other materials?
Ben_Jerrys Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must treat the Manual, any other materials created for or approved for use in the operation of your Shop, and the information contained in them, as confidential, and must use reasonable efforts to maintain this information (both in electronic and written format) as proprietary and confidential. You must not copy, download, print or otherwise reproduce these materials or otherwise make them available to any unauthorized person. The Manual will remain our sole property. You must keep it accessible only in a secure place on the Shop premises or at the office which supports the Shop.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 65–66)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Ben Jerrys's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are restricted in how they handle the Ben & Jerry's System Manual and other confidential materials. Specifically, franchisees must treat the Manual and any other materials created or approved for use in their shop's operation as confidential. They are obligated to make reasonable efforts to maintain the confidentiality of this information, whether it is in electronic or written format.
Franchisees are explicitly prohibited from copying, downloading, printing, or otherwise reproducing these materials. They also cannot make the materials available to any unauthorized person. The Manual remains the sole property of Ben Jerrys, and franchisees must keep it accessible only in a secure place on the shop premises or at the office supporting the shop.
These restrictions are in place to protect Ben Jerrys's proprietary information and trade secrets, ensuring that the System's standards, methods, policies, guidelines, and procedures are not compromised. Unauthorized disclosure or use of this information could harm Ben Jerrys's competitive advantage and the overall integrity of the franchise system. Franchisees must ensure that their employees who need access to the Manual for operational purposes also understand and adhere to these confidentiality requirements.