Does Burneys Sweets More currently own any rights in any patents material to the franchise business?

According to Burneys Sweets More's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Burneys Sweets More does not currently own any rights in any patents, patent applications, nor have they registered any copyrights that are material to the franchise business. However, franchisees will be able to utilize Burneys Sweets More's proprietary information in their Brand Standards Manual, recipes, cooking and baking techniques, and business processes, all of which are trade secrets owned by Burneys Sweets More.

While Burneys Sweets More has not filed for copyright registration for their Brand Standards Manual and recipes, they do claim a copyright on this information, which is considered proprietary. Franchisees are limited in their use of the manual, as are their employees. The Brand Standards Manual and other materials contain confidential information, including trade secrets related to the System, the Shop, and its operations. This includes knowledge, know-how, standards, methods, procedures, customer records, supplier information, product formulas, recipes, electronic code, designs, marketing materials, business strategies, financial information, databases, training materials, and any other data designated as confidential by Burneys Sweets More.

Franchisees must limit their employees' access to confidential information, sharing it only on a need-to-know basis. Anyone granted access to the Brand Standards Manual or other confidential information, as well as anyone attending training programs, must sign a confidentiality agreement. Franchisees are required to use the confidential information only as directed by Burneys Sweets More and must comply with all security measures to maintain its confidentiality. If franchisees or their personnel develop any innovations related to the Shop, these innovations, including all intellectual property rights, are assigned to Burneys Sweets More. Franchisees must also cooperate in protecting these innovations and establishing Burneys Sweets More's ownership.