What quality standards must a Bens Soft Pretzels franchisee maintain and comply with?
Bens_Soft_Pretzels Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
DUCTS AND SERVICES**
In order to ensure a uniform image and uniform quality of products and services throughout the BEN'S SOFT PRETZELS system, you must maintain and comply with our quality standards. Although you are not required to purchase or lease real estate from us or our affiliates, we must accept the location of your Store (see Item 11). Further, if you choose to operate in a captive venue location for which we or our affiliates have entered into an arrangement, you will enter into an addendum to your Franchise Agreement in either the form of a sublease or sublicense as applicable, both of which are included as a Schedule to your Franchise Agreement. You must construct and equip your Store in accordance with our then current
approved design, specifications and standards. In addition, it is your responsibility to ensure that your building plans comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and all other federal, state and local laws.
We reserve the right to designate a primary or single source of supply for certain products and supplies, and we or an affiliate may be that single source. For example, as of the date of this Disclosure Document, you must purchase your loyalty cards, gift cards, starter kit, some flavor toppings and some of the equipment and signage for your Store solely from our affiliate, Live Large Distribution Inc*.* In addition, you must purchase your food, Ben's Soft Pretzels pretzel mix and proprietary goods such as your cups, lids, pretzel sleeves, imported German salt, and take-home kits from Gordon Food Service, Inc. In limited instances when these items are not available from Gordon Food Service, you will purchase such items from Live Large Distribution, Inc. You must participate in our national Pepsi contract and serve Pepsi soft drinks unless your store is inside a designated area for a different soda brand. You must obtain your point of sale hardware and software system and your payments processing system from our approved supplier.
If you intend to operate the Store at a space within a Meijer store for which we have entered into a Master In-Store License, then you must enter into the Sublicense which is attached to your Franchise Agreement as a Schedule. The sublicensor on the Sublicense for a space within a Meijer store is our affiliate, Evan Jones Management Inc.
If you intend to operate the Store at a space within a Walmart store (or within any other store, or at any location) for which we have entered into a Master Lease Agreement, then you must enter into the Sublease which is attached to your Franchise Agreement as a Schedule. The sublessor on the Sublease for a space within a Walmart store is our affiliate, Ben's Soft Pretzels LLC.
Other than the products listed above, you have no other obligation to purchase or lease products, goods, services, supplies, fixtures, equipment, inventory, computer hardware and software, real estate, or comparable items related to establishing or operating the Store from us, our affiliates or designated third parties, currently.
Approved Supplies and Suppliers
We provide you with a list of approved manufacturers, suppliers and distributors ("Approved Suppliers List") and approved inventory products, food products, uniforms, fixtures, furniture, equipment, signs, stationery, supplies and other items or services necessary to operate the Store ("Approved Supplies List"). The Approved Supplies List may identify the specific manufacturer or supplier of a specific product or piece of equipment.
Our Approved Supplies List also may include other specific products without reference to a particular manufacturer or supplier, or it may set forth the specifications and/or standards for other approved products. We may revise the Approved Suppliers List and Approved Supplies List. We give you the approved lists as we deem advisable. We generally do not give these lists to approved suppliers.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 18–22)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bens Soft Pretzels's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must adhere to specific quality standards to ensure uniformity throughout the franchise system. This includes constructing and equipping the store according to Bens Soft Pretzels's approved designs, specifications, and standards, as well as complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and all other applicable laws. Franchisees are responsible for maintaining required insurance coverage, and Bens Soft Pretzels retains the right to modify minimum coverage limits and require additional insurance as needed.
Bens Soft Pretzels designates approved suppliers for various products and supplies. Franchisees are often required to purchase items such as loyalty cards, gift cards, starter kits, some flavor toppings, equipment, and signage from Live Large Distribution Inc., an affiliate of Bens Soft Pretzels. Additionally, franchisees must purchase food, pretzel mix, proprietary goods (cups, lids, pretzel sleeves, imported German salt, and take-home kits) from Gordon Food Service, Inc., or Live Large Distribution, Inc. when unavailable from Gordon Food Service. Franchisees must also participate in the national Pepsi contract, unless the store is in an area designated for a different soda brand, and obtain point of sale systems and payment processing systems from approved suppliers.
If a franchisee wishes to use a supplier not already approved, they must submit a written request for approval, providing any necessary background documents or evidence. Bens Soft Pretzels can require the franchisee to obtain permission for inspections of the supplier's facilities and to provide samples for evaluation. Bens Soft Pretzels will notify the franchisee of approval or disapproval within 30 days of receiving all required information and may revoke approval at any time, requiring the franchisee to cease using or purchasing from the disapproved supplier. The FDD states that compliance with these standards for goods, services, supplies, fixtures, equipment, inventory, computer hardware and software, and real estate will represent 90 to 95% of the franchisee's overall purchases and leases in establishing the store and 50 to 60% in operating the store.