Is the Buona Nondisclosure and Noncompetition Agreement an exhibit to the Franchise Disclosure Document?
Buona Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- 14.4 Nondisclosure and Noncompetition Agreement*.* Franchisee must have its shareholders, officers, directors, members, managers, partners, guarantors, supervisory and principal employees, including managers and assistant managers (as a condition to their employment), anyone Franchisee may choose to send to training, and anyone who has access to the Manual or any of Franchisor's proprietary information or Confidential Information, execute Franchisor's standard Nondisclosure and Noncompetition Agreement (which is an exhibit to the Franchise Disclosure Document and as may be updated in the Manual) before performing any work at the Franchised Business or otherwise having access to Franchisor's proprietary information.
A copy of all the signed agreements shall be delivered to Franchisor within one (1) week of their execution.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 78–356)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Buona's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the standard Nondisclosure and Noncompetition Agreement that franchisees and certain related individuals must sign is indeed an exhibit to the Franchise Disclosure Document. Specifically, the FDD states that Buona requires its franchisees to have their shareholders, officers, directors, members, managers, partners, guarantors, supervisory and principal employees (including managers and assistant managers), anyone they send to training, and anyone with access to the manual or Buona's proprietary or confidential information to execute this agreement.
Buona requires these individuals to sign the agreement before they perform any work at the franchised business or access any of Buona's proprietary information. This is a fairly standard practice in franchising, as franchisors need to protect their confidential information and trade secrets.
Franchisees must provide Buona with a copy of all signed agreements within one week of their execution. This requirement ensures that Buona has a record of all individuals who have agreed to maintain the confidentiality of its business practices and trade secrets. This is a crucial step for Buona to protect its interests and maintain the integrity of its franchise system.
Prospective franchisees should carefully review the Nondisclosure and Noncompetition Agreement to understand its terms and conditions, including the scope of the restrictions and the duration of the agreement. They should also ensure that all relevant individuals associated with their franchise are willing to sign the agreement before investing in a Buona franchise.