Is the Maryland Addendum to the Brueggers Bagels Franchise Agreement effective if the Franchise Agreement and the relationship between the franchisee and BFC do not satisfy the jurisdictional requirements of the Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law?

According to Brueggers Bagels's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Maryland Addendum to the Franchise Agreement is only effective if the Franchise Agreement and the relationship between the franchisee and BFC (Brueggers Franchise Corporation) satisfy all jurisdictional requirements of the Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law, without considering the addendum itself.

This means that the addendum's provisions, which modify the standard Franchise Agreement to comply with Maryland law, are only applicable if the underlying agreement and the franchise relationship already fall under Maryland's legal jurisdiction. If the core agreement doesn't meet these jurisdictional requirements independently, the addendum will not take effect.

For a prospective Brueggers Bagels franchisee in Maryland, this implies that they should ensure their franchise agreement and their relationship with BFC inherently comply with Maryland law before relying on the addendum's specific protections and modifications. If there are jurisdictional issues with the base agreement, the addendum will not correct them. Brueggers Bagels franchisees should seek legal counsel to confirm that the underlying Franchise Agreement and their relationship with BFC meet Maryland's jurisdictional requirements, ensuring the addendum's provisions are effective and enforceable.