If a Brain Balance franchisee wants to use an alternate supplier, what must they provide to Brain Balance?
Brain_Balance Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Although we generally do not approve alternate vendors for the above-listed goods and services, you may request our approval of an alternate supplier. You must provide us with a description of the item or service and identify the alternate supplier from whom you would like to purchase it. We have the right to require you to provide us with a sample of the item, or access to the service, at your cost, to enable us to evaluate it. We also have the right to require you to provide us with sufficient information about the proposed supplier to be able evaluate whether the supplier meets our criteria for having the capacity to meet our standards, adequate quality control, sound financial condition and business reputation, and capacity to adequately meet potential demand as a supplier. We will evaluate the proposed supplier when you have provided us with sufficient information. We will also evaluate whether it makes business sense to approve an alternate
supplier for the item or service you have identified. If we choose to, at our sole discretion, we will run the proposal past our franchisee advisory board. We will notify you within 30 days regarding whether we have approved your request for an approved supplier. There is no fee for our review.
We share the following criteria for approving suppliers with franchisees: We consider suppliers (i) who demonstrate to our continuing reasonable satisfaction the ability to meet our standards, specifications, and requirements for such items regarding quality, variety, service, safety, and health; (ii) who possess adequate quality control and capacity to supply the needs of all franchisees promptly and reliably; (iii) who are of a sound financial condition and business reputation; (iv) who will supply such items to a sufficient number of franchise owners to enable us economically to require compliance by the supplier with our standard specifications and requirements; and (v) who have been approved for such items in writing by us and not thereafter disapproved.
For goods or services for which we do not name required suppliers, you may purchase from any supplier, provided that the goods or services meet any criteria we have established. Our criteria for goods and services is listed in our Operations Manuals and may be modified by us through an update to the Operations Manuals at any time and for any reason.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 30–34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Brain Balance's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, while the company generally does not approve alternate vendors for goods and services, a franchisee may request approval of an alternate supplier. To do so, the franchisee must provide Brain Balance with a description of the item or service and identify the alternate supplier from whom they would like to make the purchase.
Brain Balance has the right to require the franchisee to provide a sample of the item or access to the service at the franchisee's cost to allow Brain Balance to evaluate it. Brain Balance can also require the franchisee to provide sufficient information about the proposed supplier to evaluate whether the supplier meets Brain Balance's criteria. These criteria include the capacity to meet Brain Balance's standards, adequate quality control, sound financial condition and business reputation, and the capacity to adequately meet potential demand as a supplier.
Brain Balance will evaluate the proposed supplier when sufficient information has been provided. They will also evaluate whether it makes business sense to approve an alternate supplier for the item or service. At their sole discretion, Brain Balance may run the proposal past their franchisee advisory board. Brain Balance will notify the franchisee within 30 days regarding whether they have approved the request. There is no fee for this review. For goods or services for which Brain Balance does not name required suppliers, the franchisee may purchase from any supplier, provided that the goods or services meet any criteria Brain Balance has established, as outlined in the Operations Manuals.