Can a Beverly Anns Cookie franchisee maintain a separate website for their franchised business?
Beverly_Anns_Cookie Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
nformation (defined below).
While the Brand Manual is intended to protect our reputation and goodwill of the Marks, you will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of your Franchised Business and the Brand Manual is not designed to control the day-to-day operation of the Franchised Business.
General Guidance
We will, upon reasonable request, provide advice or guidance regarding your Franchised Business's operation based on reports or inspections or communications with you. We will provide reasonable marketing consulting, guidance and support throughout the Term we deem appropriate. Any advice will be given during our regular business hours and via written materials, electronic media, telephone or other methods, in our discretion.
We maintain a staff to manage and operate the Beverly Ann's Cookie Truck System and our staff members can change as employees come and go. We cannot guarantee the continued participation by or employment of any of our shareholders, directors, officers, employees or staff
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 57–235)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Beverly Anns Cookie's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are generally expected to utilize the System Website maintained by the franchisor. Beverly Anns Cookie will maintain a website for Franchised Businesses that will include information about the franchisee's business that they deem appropriate. Beverly Anns Cookie may modify or discontinue the System Website at any time and owns the System Website and domain names.
The FDD indicates that Beverly Anns Cookie intends for any franchisee website to be accessed only through the System Website. This suggests that franchisees are discouraged from creating and maintaining independent websites for their franchised businesses.
Franchisees are required to obtain and use at least one Beverly Ann's Cookie Truck email address from the franchisor, for which there is a current fee of $216 per year (or $18 per month). This fee is due at the same time as the Royalty payment, and Beverly Anns Cookie reserves the right to increase this fee with 30 days' written notice. The control over the website and email addresses allows Beverly Anns Cookie to maintain brand consistency and manage the online presence of its franchisees.