To whom can a Black Bear Diner franchisee divulge Confidential Information?
Black_Bear_Diner Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must not divulge Confidential Information to anyone except employees who must have access to it in order to operate your Franchised Restaurant.
Certain individuals having access to Confidential Information, including your shareholders, officers, directors, partners, employees, members, managers and your spouse, may be required to sign nondisclosure and non- competition agreements in a form we approve.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD page 39)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Black Bear Diner FDD, a franchisee can only share Confidential Information with specific individuals under certain conditions. Confidential Information includes trade secrets and competitively sensitive data not publicly known, such as recipes, food specifications, operating systems, and marketing plans.
A Black Bear Diner franchisee is permitted to disclose Confidential Information only to employees who require access to it for the operation of the franchised restaurant. This means that only those employees who need the information to perform their job duties can be privy to it.
Furthermore, Black Bear Diner may require certain individuals, including shareholders, officers, directors, partners, employees, members, managers, and the franchisee's spouse, to sign nondisclosure and non-competition agreements. These agreements would be in a form approved by Black Bear Diner, ensuring that these individuals are legally bound to protect the Confidential Information. This is a common practice in franchising to safeguard sensitive business information and maintain a competitive edge.