What must a Buona franchisee do if they want to purchase materials, supplies, and services from a supplier not already approved?
Buona Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If you desire to purchase any such items from an unapproved supplier, you or the supplier must submit to us a written request for approval. We may require, as a condition of approval, that our representatives be permitted to inspect the supplier's facilities, and that samples from the supplier be delivered either to us or an independent laboratory we designate for testing prior to granting approval. Either you or the supplier must pay a charge not to exceed our reasonable cost of inspection and the actual cost of testing. We will notify you of approval or disapproval of a supplier within approximately 30 days. We do not provide our criteria for approving suppliers to our franchisees. We may re-inspect the facilities and products of any approved supplier at any time and revoke our prior approval upon failure of such supplier to continue to meet our criteria for supplier approval.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 32–34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Buona's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee wishes to purchase items from a supplier not already approved by Buona, either the franchisee or the supplier must submit a written request for approval to Buona. As a condition of approval, Buona may require its representatives to inspect the supplier's facilities and request samples for testing, either by Buona or an independent laboratory. The franchisee or the supplier is responsible for covering the reasonable costs of inspection and the actual costs of testing.
Buona will then notify the franchisee of the approval or disapproval of the supplier within approximately 30 days. It is important to note that Buona does not disclose its criteria for approving suppliers to its franchisees. Furthermore, Buona retains the right to re-inspect the facilities and products of any approved supplier at any time and may revoke prior approval if the supplier fails to continue meeting Buona's standards.
This process ensures that all suppliers meet Buona's standards for quality and reliability, protecting the brand's reputation and consistency. While franchisees have the option to seek approval for alternative suppliers, they must be prepared for potential costs associated with inspections and testing, as well as the possibility of disapproval if the supplier does not meet Buona's criteria. This also means that franchisees need to factor in a potentially longer lead time when sourcing from new suppliers due to the 30-day approval window.