Can Body20 require franchisees to purchase specific services for their studio?
Body20 Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
provide financing to franchisees either directly or indirectly in connection with their initial investment requirements.
ITEM 8 RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Authorized Products and Services. We have the right to require that all furniture, fixtures, signs, and equipment (collectively, the "Operating Assets") and products, supplies, and services that you purchase for resale or purchase or lease for use in your Studio: (i) meet specifications that we establish from time to time; (ii) be a specific brand, kind, or model; (iii) be purchased or leased only from suppliers or service providers that we have expressly approved;
and/or (iv) be purchased or leased only from a single source that we designate (which may include us or our affiliates or a buying cooperative organized by us or our affiliates).
You must offer to customers only the products, services, and Sessions we approve in writing. In addition, you must offer the specific products, services, and Sessions that we require in the Manuals or otherwise in writing. We may change these specifications periodically, and we may designate specific products or services as optional or mandatory. You must offer all products or services that we designate as mandatory. You may sell products and services only in the varieties, forms, and packages that we have approved in accordance with our System Standards. You must maintain a sufficient supply of required products to meet the inventory standards we prescribe in the Manuals (or to meet reasonably anticipated customer demand, if we have not prescribed specific standards).
We may require you to purchase merchant processing services from us, our affiliates or an approved or designated vendor. The payment processor may process all credit card payments related to your Studio and remit payment to you of all monies owed, after withholding any Operating Fees (i.e., Royalty Fees, Brand Fund Fees, Technology Fees, and Music Licensing Fees) payable to us and any payment processing fees payable to the processor.
You must conduct all Sessions in accordance with the System. You must offer at the Studio any Sessions that we deem to be mandatory. Any Sessions that you or your fitness coaches develop must be consistent with the System Standards that we specify from time to time. If we disapprove of any Sessions that you offer, you must immediately discontinue offering the Session or modify the Session in accordance with our instructions.
Currently, we require you to purchase from us or our affiliates (i) the Initial FF&E Package, (ii) the Presale Kit, (iii) the Initial Retail Inventory Kit, (iv) certain ongoing equipment purchases, and (v) replacement inventory and sales materials and accessories. We reserve the right to designate us or our affiliates as approved or required suppliers of other goods or services in the future.
Currently, we require you to purchase from suppliers or service providers that we have designated or approved (i) certain other equipment and supplies, (ii) interior graphics and exterior signage, (iii) the Technology System, (iv) music licenses, and (v) payment processing services. We may require you to purchase other goods or services from approved or designated supplies or services providers in the future.
When you develop and construct your Studio, we have the right to require you to obtain our prior written approval of any project managers, architects, engineers, or designers that you would like to use before you engage them.
One of Sequel Brands' officers owns an interest in us and our affiliates, and we are a supplier with whom you are required to do business. None of our or Sequel Brands' officers own an interest in any unaffiliated suppliers with whom you are required or recommended to do business.
Insurance. You must obtain before you begin construction and/or development of the Studio and must maintain at all times the types of insurance and the minimum policy limits specified in the Manuals. Currently, we require you to obtain and maintain:
Comprehensive General Liability and Professional Liability Insurance. You must maintain comprehensive general liability and professional liability insurance with the following minimum limits:
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- Each Occurrence: $1,000,000
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- General Aggregate: $5,000,000 (per Studio)
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- Products Completed Operations Aggregate: $5,000,000
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- Personal and Advertising Injury: $1,000,000
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- Participant Legal Liability: $1,000,000
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- Professional Liability: $1,000,000
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- Damage to Premises Rented to You: $1,000,000
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- Employee Benefits Liability (each employee): $1,000,000
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- Employee Benefits Liability (aggregate): $2,000,000
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- Medical Expense (any one person): $5,000
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Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 32–37)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Body20's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Body20 has the right to require franchisees to purchase or lease furniture, fixtures, signs, and equipment, referred to as "Operating Assets," as well as products, supplies, and services for resale or use in their studio. These purchases must meet Body20's specifications, be of a specific brand, kind, or model, and be sourced only from suppliers or service providers that Body20 has expressly approved or designated, which may include Body20 or its affiliates.
The FDD specifies that franchisees must offer customers only the products, services, and sessions that Body20 approves in writing, including specific products, services, and sessions required in the manuals or in writing. Body20 may change these specifications and designate products or services as optional or mandatory, with franchisees required to offer all mandatory items. Franchisees must also maintain a sufficient supply of required products to meet inventory standards.
Currently, Body20 requires franchisees to purchase specific items from them or their affiliates, such as the Initial FF&E Package, the Presale Kit, the Initial Retail Inventory Kit, certain ongoing equipment purchases, and replacement inventory and sales materials and accessories. They also require franchisees to purchase certain other equipment and supplies, interior graphics and exterior signage, the Technology System, music licenses, and payment processing services from designated or approved suppliers. The cost to purchase and lease all equipment, inventory and other items and services that Body20 requires franchisees to obtain from them or their affiliates, from designated suppliers, or in accordance with their specifications ranges from 75% to 90% of the total cost to purchase and lease equipment, inventory, and other items necessary to establish a Studio and 30% to 45% of the total cost to purchase and lease equipment, inventory, and other items to operate a Studio.
Body20 also mandates that franchisees obtain certain types of insurance with specified minimum policy limits, including Comprehensive General Liability and Professional Liability Insurance, Property Insurance, and Employment Practices Liability Insurance. The insurance carriers must be rated A or higher by A.M. Best and Company, Inc., and Body20 must be named as an additional insured under each policy. Franchisees may also be required to acquire additional insurance based on local laws and should discuss additional coverage with their insurance agent.