What happens to the customer relationships after termination of a Bigfoot Forestry franchise agreement?
Bigfoot_Forestry Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Customer Data" means and includes any and all data that pertains to a Bigfoot Forestry Business customer, including name, address, contact information, date of birth, purchase history and any other information collected for any purpose.
"Confidential Information" means and includes: (a) Know-How; (b) Business Data; (c) information in the Manual or comprising the System; (d) terms of the Franchise Agreement (and related agreements) signed by Franchisee in connection with the Bigfoot Forestry Business; and (e) all other concepts, ideas, trade secrets, financial information, marketing strategies, expansion strategies, studies, supplier information, customer information, franchisee information, investor information, flow charts, inventions, mask works, improvements, discoveries, standards, specifications, formulae, recipes, designs, sketches, drawings, policies, processes, procedures, methodologies and techniques, together with analyses, compilations, studies or other documents that are: (i) designated as confidential; (ii) known by you to be considered confidential by us; and/or (iii) reasonably to be considered confidential due to their nature.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 42–162)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
Based on the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Bigfoot Forestry franchise agreement includes a Confidentiality Agreement that defines "Customer Data" as any data pertaining to a Bigfoot Forestry Business customer, including name, address, contact information, date of birth, purchase history and any other information collected for any purpose. This data is also considered "Confidential Information," which the franchisee is obligated to protect.
While the FDD defines customer data and establishes its confidential nature, it does not explicitly state what happens to customer relationships or data after the termination of a franchise agreement. Generally, in franchising, customer relationships and data are considered valuable assets. The franchisor typically wants to ensure that this information is protected and used in a way that benefits the brand, even after a franchisee exits the system.
Because the FDD does not specify the procedure for customer data after termination, prospective Bigfoot Forestry franchisees should seek clarification from the franchisor regarding the handling of customer relationships and data after the franchise agreement ends. Specifically, franchisees should ask who retains the rights to customer data, whether they are allowed to contact former customers after termination, and what restrictions apply to using that information. Understanding these obligations is crucial for a franchisee planning their exit strategy or considering the long-term implications of the franchise agreement.