Has Bigfoot Forestry ever directly owned and operated a Bigfoot Forestry Business?
Bigfoot_Forestry Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Our founder and Chief Executive Officer, Benjamin Bartnikowski, opened the first Bigfoot Forestry Business in Rock Hill, South Carolina in September 2020. We began offering franchises for Bigfoot Forestry Businesses in January 2023. We are not engaged in any business other than offering franchises for Bigfoot Forestry Businesses and administering the franchise system. We have never offered franchises in any other line of business. We have never directly owned and operated a Bigfoot Forestry Business.
Source: Item 1 — FRANCHISOR AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 8–9)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Bigfoot Forestry Franchise Disclosure Document, Bigfoot Forestry has never directly owned and operated a Bigfoot Forestry Business. However, the FDD states that the founder and Chief Executive Officer, Benjamin Bartnikowski, opened the first Bigfoot Forestry Business in Rock Hill, South Carolina in September 2020. Bigfoot Forestry began offering franchises in January 2023.
This means that while the franchisor entity itself has not operated a location, the concept was proven by its founder before franchising. This is a fairly common practice in franchising, as it allows the franchisor to refine the business model before offering it to franchisees.
Prospective franchisees may want to inquire about the performance of the original location operated by Benjamin Bartnikowski to gain insights into the potential of a Bigfoot Forestry franchise. Understanding the history and success of the initial business can be a valuable part of the due diligence process.