Can the Buona Marketing Fund be used to pay for the establishment and maintenance of the Buona website?
Buona Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Franchisee agrees that the Marketing Fund may be used to pay the costs of preparing and producing video, audio, digital and written advertising materials; administering national, regional or local advertising programs including, without limitation, direct mail and other media advertising, and employing advertising agencies to assist in those activities; establishing and maintaining the Buona Website; internet-based advertising and marketing programs, developing and maintaining other presence on the Internet, including reputation management and system-wide online programs for customer ordering and loyalty rewards program; intranet development supporting public relations; market research and marketing activities; providing advertising, marketing and promotional materials to Buona Businesses; and any and all other activities for the purpose of promoting the Marks and Buona Businesses.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 78–356)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
Yes, according to Buona's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Marketing Fund can be used to pay for the establishment and maintenance of the Buona website. The FDD specifies that the Marketing Fund, which is contributed to by franchisees, can be used for various advertising, marketing, and promotional activities.
Specifically, the Marketing Fund can cover the costs of preparing and producing advertising materials, administering advertising programs, and employing advertising agencies. It explicitly includes establishing and maintaining the Buona Website, internet-based advertising and marketing programs, developing and maintaining other presence on the Internet, including reputation management and system-wide online programs for customer ordering and loyalty rewards program. This means that a portion of the franchisee's contribution to the Marketing Fund will be used to ensure that the Buona website is up and running and effectively promoting the brand.
Buona retains sole discretion over the creative concepts, materials, and endorsements used in marketing programs, as well as the geographic, market, and media placement and allocation of these programs. While Buona aims to use the Marketing Fund to benefit all Buona Businesses, there's no guarantee that expenditures in any specific area will be proportionate to the contributions from Buona Businesses in that area, or that any Buona Business will directly benefit in proportion to its contribution. Franchisees contribute up to 2.5% of their gross sales to the Marketing Fund, and Buona will provide a sixty-day notice before any changes to this contribution.