What happens to other materials containing proprietary information from Buona upon expiration or termination of the Franchise Agreement?

According to Buona's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, upon the expiration or termination of the Franchise Agreement, any printed copies of the Manual or any other materials containing proprietary information must be either destroyed or returned to Buona immediately. This requirement ensures that Buona's confidential business information remains protected even after the franchise relationship ends. Proprietary information includes standards, specifications, management systems, recipes, menus, techniques, financial information, and business operations and procedures.

This obligation is a standard practice in franchising, as franchisors need to safeguard their trade secrets and operational methods. By requiring the destruction or return of proprietary materials, Buona aims to prevent former franchisees from using this information to compete unfairly or to operate similar businesses that could harm the Buona brand.

For a prospective Buona franchisee, this means that upon exiting the franchise system, they will need to take immediate steps to comply with this requirement. This includes identifying and either destroying or returning all printed materials containing Buona's proprietary information. Failure to do so could result in legal action from Buona to protect its trade secrets.