Since when has Big Apple Bagels offered Big Apple Bagels franchises?
Big_Apple_Bagels Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
BAB has never operated a business of the type to be operated by you or in any other line of business. BAB has offered Big Apple Bagels franchises since March 30, 1993 and My Favorite Muffin franchises since 1998. Until September of 2018, BAB offered both franchise brands under one franchise disclosure document. In that disclosure document Big Apple Bagels franchisees and My Favorite Muffin franchisees were collectively referred to as "BAB/MFM Franchisees." BAB/MFM Franchisees offered bagels, cream cheese spreads, muffins, and coffee primarily through retail distribution, under the trademarks "Big Apple Bagels," "My Favorite Muffin," and "Brewster's." Starting in September of 2018, BAB discontinued offering the My Favorite Muffin brand under the franchise disclosure document that covered both franchise brands. Instead, BAB created a separate franchise disclosure document for the two types of My Favorite Muffin Stores, which are "My Favorite Muffin Gourmet Muffin Bakery" and "My Favorite Muffin Your All Day Bakery Cafe." As of November 30, 2024, our last fiscal year-end, there were 12 My Favorite Muffin franchises operating. BAB offered SweetDuet Frozen Yogurt & Gourmet Muffins (under a separate disclosure document) beginning in May 2012. BAB did not sell any stand-alone SweetDuet franchises. In December of 2014 BAB discontinued offering the stand-alone SweetDuet Frozen Yogurt & Gourmet Muffins concept and instead offered SweetDuet as a Dual-Concept. Beginning in January of 2016, BAB no longer offered the SweetDuet frozen yogurt Dual-Concept for BAGELS Stores, but allows franchisees to sell SweetDuet frozen yogurt if they agree to equip their BAGELS Stores to accommodate those additional products. As of the issuance date of this disclosure document, there are no is 1 BAGELS Store that sell SweetDuet branded frozen yogurt products.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR, AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS AND AFFILIATE (FDD pages 10–15)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Big Apple Bagels Franchise Disclosure Document, Big Apple Bagels has been offering franchises since March 30, 1993. The document also clarifies that Big Apple Bagels has never operated a business of the type that a franchisee would operate, or any other line of business. This means that Big Apple Bagels's experience is solely in franchising, not in directly running bagel store operations.
Prior to September 2018, Big Apple Bagels offered both Big Apple Bagels and My Favorite Muffin franchises under a single franchise disclosure document, referring to franchisees of both brands collectively as "BAB/MFM Franchisees." In September 2018, Big Apple Bagels created separate franchise disclosure documents for My Favorite Muffin stores, distinguishing between "My Favorite Muffin Gourmet Muffin Bakery" and "My Favorite Muffin Your All Day Bakery Cafe." As of November 30, 2024, there were 12 My Favorite Muffin franchises operating.
Big Apple Bagels also offered SweetDuet Frozen Yogurt & Gourmet Muffins franchises starting in May 2012, but discontinued the stand-alone SweetDuet concept in December 2014. Instead, they offered SweetDuet as a Dual-Concept. By January 2016, Big Apple Bagels stopped offering the SweetDuet frozen yogurt Dual-Concept for BAGELS Stores, but franchisees could still sell SweetDuet frozen yogurt if they equipped their stores accordingly. As of the issuance date of the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, only one BAGELS Store sells SweetDuet branded frozen yogurt products. This history indicates that Big Apple Bagels has experimented with different franchise models and co-branding strategies over the years.