Is a Carbones Pizzeria franchisee allowed to change the secret recipes?
Carbones_Pizzeria Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- b. Franchisee shall not attempt to change the Secret Recipes in any fashion, and Franchisee agrees to keep all Confidential Information disclosed by Franchisor to Franchisee hereunder secret and shall not divulge, discuss or reveal information to any person except as is necessary to disclose such information to employees in the course of their employment.
- c. Franchisee acknowledges and agrees that any breach of this Section 10 will damage Franchisor in a manner which will not be readily susceptible to calculation; accordingly, Franchisee agrees that the unauthorized disclosure of the Secret Recipes will cause Franchisor irreparable harm and that accordingly injunctive relief (directed against Franchisee and any of Franchisee's owners, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, joint venturers, affiliates, agents, employees, or former agents or employees) may be sought by Franchisor to prevent such irreparable damages.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 30–116)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Carbones Pizzeria Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are explicitly prohibited from altering the secret recipes in any way. The FDD emphasizes that these recipes are crucial to the brand's unique appeal and are considered trade secrets. Franchisees must maintain the confidentiality of these recipes, restricting access to only those employees who require the information to perform their job duties.
Carbones Pizzeria franchisees must also ensure that employees with access to the secret recipes sign an agreement to maintain their secrecy. The FDD strictly limits the number of copies made and mandates that all copies be securely stored when not in use. This highlights the importance Carbones Pizzeria places on protecting its proprietary information and maintaining consistency across all franchise locations.
Any deviation from the provided recipes is considered a breach of the franchise agreement. The FDD also states that unauthorized disclosure of the secret recipes could cause irreparable harm to Carbones Pizzeria, potentially leading to injunctive relief against the franchisee. This underscores the significant legal and financial risks associated with any unauthorized modification or disclosure of the recipes.