Is the Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement for Burros Fries between the franchisee and the franchisor?
Burros_Fries Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
FRANCHISE AGREEMENT
PARTIES
THIS FRANCHISE AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made by and between Burros & Fries Franchise, Inc, a California corporation, hereinafter sometimes referred to as "Burros & Fries" or "Franchisor" and that party or parties described as the Franchisee in this Agreement and on the signature line, hereinafter known as "you" or "Franchisee." If the Franchisee is a corporation or limited liability company, partnership or other entity, certain provisions of this Agreement also apply to your shareholders, members, partners or owners. Any such entity may be referred to as an "Entity" and those who own the Entity may be referred to as "Owners." For ease of reference, Burros & Fries, Inc., will also be referred to as "we," "us" or "our" in this Agreement. The persons signing as Franchisee, Owners or Guarantors will also be referenced to herein individually as "you" or "yours" or collectively as "Franchisee."
D. Maintain Confidentiality of Proprietary Information
Neither Franchisee nor any of its Owners if you are an Entity, officers, directors, agents, employees or independent contractors, except as required in the performance of the duties contemplated by this Agreement, may disclose or use at any time, whether during the term of this Agreement or thereafter, any confidential and proprietary information disclosed to or known by Franchisee or any such person as a result of this Agreement. Such information, includes, but shall not be limited to our confidential matters and trade secrets such as our: strategies for site acquisition, build-out, design and décor specifications; distinctive Products, Services, proprietary recipes, sauces and home-made ice cream; specific food preparation techniques, methods, procedures including standards; specifications and purchasing strategies for all products, supplies and kitchen equipment; inventory management systems, vendors and supplier relationships, cost and pricing strategies, retail center setup, merchandising strategies, procedures for cleanliness, safety, sanitation and quality control; software, service methods and techniques, operational procedures, service standards, employee hiring, training and retention programs; menus, photographs of food, sales, advertising, marketing and promotional materials; forms, contracts, record keeping, reporting procedures and accounting methods, proprietary information conceived, originated, discovered, or developed by Franchisee or by any employee of Franchisee which is not generally known in the trade or industry about our Products or Services, including information relating to discoveries, ideas, production, purchasing, accounting, engineering, website development and design, marketing, merchandising or selling of Products and Services (collectively referred to as "Confidential Information" and further defined in Section 16.A of this Agreement).
C. Franchisee Will Not Compete Against Franchisor
Franchisee specifically acknowledges that, pursuant to this Agreement, Franchisee will receive valuable specialized training, our Confidential Information and our System.
Franchisee agrees that, except as otherwise approved in writing by us, Franchisee shall not, during the term of this Agreement and for a period of two (2) years from the date of (i) a transfer permitted under this Agreement; (ii) the expiration or termination of this Agreement (regardless of the cause for termination); or (iii) a final order of a duly authorized arbitrator, panel of arbitrators, or a court of competent jurisdiction (after all appeals have been taken) with respect to any of the foregoing or with respect to the enforcement of this Section 19.C, either directly or indirectly for itself, or through, on behalf of, or in conjunction with, any person, persons, or legal entity, own, maintain, operate, engage in, be employed by, or have any interest in any business using any aspect of the System, the overall Burros & Fries business concept, with similar Products and/or Services within a ten (10) mile radius of the Accepted Location designated hereunder, or within a ten (10) mile radius of any other System franchise or company-owned business in existence or planned as of the time of termination or expiration of this Agreement as identified in the Franchise Disclosure Document in effect as of the date of expiration or termination of this Agreement.
C. Transfer, Sale or Assignment by Franchisor and Franchisor's Right of First Refusal
Franchisee acknowledges that we have an unrestricted right to sell, transfer or assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement to any transferee or legal successor of ours.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 53)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to the 2024 Burros Fries Franchise Disclosure Document, the Franchise Agreement is made between Burros & Fries Franchise, Inc., referred to as "Burros & Fries" or "Franchisor," and the franchisee. The agreement outlines the terms and conditions under which the franchisee operates a Burros & Fries restaurant. This includes the franchisee receiving specialized training, confidential information, and access to the Burros Fries system.
The franchisee agrees to maintain the confidentiality of proprietary information, which includes strategies for site acquisition, build-out, design, décor, recipes, food preparation techniques, purchasing strategies, and operational procedures. This obligation extends both during the term of the agreement and after its termination or expiration. The franchisee must take necessary steps to protect this confidential information and not release it to unauthorized individuals.
Additionally, the franchisee agrees not to compete with Burros Fries during the term of the agreement and for a period of two years after its termination or expiration. This non-compete clause restricts the franchisee from engaging in any business using the Burros & Fries system or a similar concept within a ten-mile radius of the accepted location or any other Burros Fries franchise or company-owned business. This covenant is in consideration for access to trade secrets provided during training and ongoing support programs.
These provisions ensure that the franchisee protects Burros Fries's confidential information and does not use it to compete against the franchisor, safeguarding the brand's proprietary knowledge and market position. The agreement also specifies that Burros Fries has the right to sell, transfer, or assign its rights or obligations under the agreement to any transferee or legal successor.