Is there a fee for Brain Balance's review of a proposed alternate supplier?
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.
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, there is no fee for the review of a proposed alternate supplier. While Brain Balance generally does not approve alternate vendors for goods and services, a franchisee can request approval of an alternate supplier by providing a description of the item or service and identifying the alternate supplier.
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 enable evaluation. They also have the right to require sufficient information about the proposed supplier to evaluate whether the supplier meets Brain Balance's criteria for having the capacity to meet their standards, adequate quality control, sound financial condition and business reputation, and capacity to adequately meet potential demand as a supplier.
Brain Balance will evaluate the proposed supplier when sufficient information has been provided and will notify the franchisee within 30 days regarding whether they have approved the request. The FDD specifies that there is no fee for this review process. This is beneficial for franchisees as it allows them to explore potentially more cost-effective or better-suited suppliers without incurring additional charges from the franchisor.