What is the purpose of the Ben Jerrys Franchisee Advisory Council?
Ben_Jerrys Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We have organized and facilitated the growth of a council known as the "Ben & Jerry's Franchisee Advisory Council" ("Council"). The Council is composed of a representative group of eligible franchisees who meet periodically with us to discuss ideas, suggestions, as well as mutual problems and concerns. The purpose of the Council is, among others, to promote open communication between us and our franchisees. The Council serves in an advisory capacity and does not have the authority to directly modify our policies. However, we do acknowledge the Council's input in as much as it represents the experience and perspective of the entire franchise system. When acting in its advisory capacity, all of the Council's recommendations are restricted to issues related to the System and not to issues of individual franchisees.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 43–60)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Ben Jerrys's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the purpose of the Franchisee Advisory Council is to promote open communication between Ben Jerrys and its franchisees. The council consists of a group of franchisees who meet with Ben Jerrys to discuss ideas, suggestions, mutual problems, and concerns.
The Franchisee Advisory Council serves in an advisory capacity, meaning it does not have the authority to directly change Ben Jerrys's policies. However, Ben Jerrys acknowledges the council's input as it represents the experience and perspective of the entire franchise system.
The recommendations made by the Franchisee Advisory Council are restricted to issues related to the Ben Jerrys system and not to issues of individual franchisees. This ensures that the council focuses on matters that affect the entire franchise network rather than individual store-level problems.