For Big Apple Bagels franchises in Illinois, which company owns the trademarks?

According to the 2025 Big Apple Bagels Franchise Disclosure Document, BAB, Inc., the franchisor's parent company, owns the trademarks for Big Apple Bagels franchises in Illinois. This information is specifically included as a risk factor in the addendum to the Franchise Disclosure Document for the state of Illinois.

This means that while BAB Systems, Inc. is the company that franchises and licenses the Big Apple Bagels concept, the actual legal ownership of the brand's trademarks resides with its parent company, BAB, Inc. As a franchisee, you are licensing the right to use those trademarks from BAB Systems, Inc., but BAB, Inc. ultimately controls them.

This distinction is important for prospective franchisees to understand, as it clarifies the relationship between the various entities involved in the Big Apple Bagels franchise system and highlights that BAB, Inc. maintains ultimate control over the brand's intellectual property. This ownership structure is not uncommon in franchising, where a parent company may hold the trademarks and other key assets while a subsidiary manages the franchising operations.