Will Bft provide a proposed alternate supplier with its current specifications for a product?
Bft Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If you wish to purchase a product or service that we require you to purchase from an Approved Supplier from an alternate source, then you must obtain our prior written approval as outlined more fully in this Item. We may provide our standards and specifications for our Approved Products and Approved Services directly to our Approved Suppliers, and may provide these standards and specifications to an alternative supplier you propose if: (i) we approve the supplier in writing as outlined more fully in this Item; and (ii) the alternative supplier agrees to sign our prescribed form of non-disclosure agreement with respect to any Confidential Information we disclose.
samples or information so that we can make an informed decision whether the goods, equipment, supplies or supplier meet our specifications and quality standards. In evaluating a supplier that you propose to us, we consider not only the quality of the particular product at issue, but also the supplier's production and delivery capability, overall business reputation and financial condition. We may provide any alternate supplier you propose with a copy of our then-current specifications for any product(s) you wish the supplier to supply, provided the supplier enters into a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement in the form we specify. We may also inspect a proposed supplier's facilities and test its products and/or services, and request that you reimburse our actual costs associated with the testing/inspection.
We will notify you in writing within 30 days after we receive all necessary information and/or complete our inspection or testing to advise you if we approve or disapprove the proposed item and/or supplier. The criteria we use in approving or rejecting new suppliers is proprietary, but we may (although are not required to) make it available to you upon request. Each supplier that we approve must comply with our usual and customary requirements regarding insurance, indemnification and non-disclosure. If we approve any supplier, we will not guarantee your performance of any supply contract with that supplier under any circumstances. We may re-inspect and/or revoke our approval of a supplier or item at any time and for any reason to protect the best interests and goodwill of our System and Marks. The revocation of a previously approved product or alternative supplier is effective immediately when you receive written notice from us of revocation and, following receipt of our notice, you may not place any new orders for the revoked product, or with the revoked supplier.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 32–36)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bft's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee wants to purchase required products or services from an alternate supplier instead of an approved supplier, Bft may provide the alternate supplier with its current specifications for the product, provided the supplier agrees to a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement. Bft needs to approve the alternate supplier in writing before the franchisee can make purchases from them.
To evaluate a proposed alternate supplier, Bft will consider the quality of the product, the supplier's production and delivery capabilities, its business reputation, and financial condition. Bft may also inspect the supplier's facilities and test its products, with the franchisee potentially required to reimburse Bft for the costs of inspection and testing. Bft will notify the franchisee in writing within 30 days of receiving all necessary information or completing the inspection whether the proposed supplier is approved or disapproved.
Bft's approval criteria for new suppliers are proprietary, but Bft may make them available to the franchisee upon request. Approved suppliers must comply with Bft's requirements regarding insurance, indemnification, and non-disclosure. However, Bft does not guarantee the franchisee's performance of any supply contract with an approved supplier and may revoke approval at any time, which would immediately prevent the franchisee from placing new orders with the revoked supplier.