Is delivery of the Buona Area Development Agreement by other functionally equivalent electronic means of transmission considered valid?

According to Buona's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Area Development Agreement can be delivered with full legal force and effect through electronic signatures and records. Specifically, the FDD states that delivering the agreement via facsimile, e-mail, or other functionally equivalent electronic transmission methods is considered a valid and effective delivery.

This means that prospective Buona developers do not necessarily need to physically sign and deliver the agreement. Instead, they can utilize electronic methods, which streamlines the process and makes it more convenient for all parties involved. This is a fairly standard practice in modern franchising, as it speeds up the execution of legal documents.

However, it's important for the developer to ensure that the chosen method of electronic transmission is indeed "functionally equivalent" and provides a reliable record of delivery. Developers should also confirm with Buona that their chosen method is acceptable to avoid any potential disputes regarding the validity of the agreement's delivery.