Does 'Confidential Information' for Bhc include information regarding business partners?
Bhc Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "Confidential Information" includes, without limitation: (i) the Operations Manual; (ii) all technical and non-technical information, including without limitation, information concerning finances, financing and capital raising plans, accounting or marketing, business opportunities, affiliate lists, business plans, forecasts, predictions, projections, recipes, products, research, development, and know-how; (iii) "Intellectual Property" (as defined in this Article 1), the Marks, BHC Products, insignias, designs, and materials subject to copyright, patent, or trademark registration; (iv) any developments, inventions, improvements, additions, modifications, enhancements, derivatives, ideas, reports, analyses, opinions, studies, data or other materials or work product, whether prepared by Franchisor or otherwise, that contain or are based upon the proprietary information; (v) information regarding customers and potential customers of the Franchised Business, including customer lists, names, needs or desires with respect to the products or services offered, contracts and their contents and parties, the type and quantity of products and services provided or sought to be provided to customers and potential customers of the Franchised Business and other non-public information relating to customers and potential customers; (vi) information regarding any of Franchisor's business partners or affiliates and their services, including names, representatives, proposals, bids, contracts and their contents and parties, the type and quantity of products and services received by the discloser, and other non-public information relating to business partners; (vii) information regarding personnel, including compensation and personnel files; and (viii) any other non-public information that a competitor of Franchisor could use to the competitive disadvantage of Franchisor.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 52–230)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bhc's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Confidential Information includes data about Bhc's business partners or affiliates. This encompasses details about their services, including names, representatives, proposals, bids, contracts, the contents and parties involved in those contracts, the type and quantity of products and services received, and other non-public information related to these business partners.
This means that as a franchisee, you are obligated to protect this information and keep it confidential. This extends not only to the operational and financial details of Bhc itself but also to sensitive information about its relationships with other businesses.
The broad definition of Confidential Information suggests that Bhc places a high value on maintaining the privacy of its business relationships. A prospective franchisee should be aware of the responsibility to safeguard this information and the potential consequences of its unauthorized disclosure.