Can Caring Senior Service approve a single supplier for any product?
Caring_Senior_Service Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must purchase all products, materials and supplies only from distributors and other suppliers approved by us from time to time.
- (ii) We may approve a single distributor or other supplier (collectively "supplier") for any product and may approve a supplier only as to certain products.
We may concentrate purchases with one (1) or more suppliers to obtain lower prices or the best advertising support or services for any group of Businesses.
We may, if we choose, take advantage of discounts offered by a supplier in connection with the acquisition of large quantities of products and resell said products to you at a profit.
Approval of a supplier may be conditioned on requirements relating to the frequency of delivery, concentration of purchases, standards of service, including prompt attention to complaints, or other criteria and may be temporary, pending our continued evaluation of the supplier from time to time.
- (iii) If you desire to purchase any unapproved items or from any unapproved supplier, you must submit to us a written request for approval of the proposed product or supplier and obtain our written approval of the product or supplier prior to purchasing any such items from said supplier.
We may inspect the proposed supplier's facilities and require product samples from the proposed supplier to be delivered at our option either directly to us or to any independent entity which we designate for testing, which testing or evaluation and ultimate approval or rejection shall be completed within thirty (30) days of submission.
We reserve the right to periodically re-inspect the facilities and products of any approved supplier and to revoke our approval if the supplier does not continue to meet any of our criteria.
We reserve the right to require you to reimburse our costs related to any such inspection or evaluation.
We shall in no event be obligated to approve any proposed supplier;
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 53–204)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Caring Senior Service's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Caring Senior Service has the authority to approve a single supplier for any product that franchisees are required to purchase. This means that franchisees may be obligated to purchase certain products exclusively from a supplier chosen by Caring Senior Service.
Caring Senior Service may concentrate purchases with a single supplier to obtain lower prices or better advertising support or services for all franchisees. They may also take advantage of discounts offered by a supplier for large quantity purchases and resell those products to franchisees at a profit. The approval of a supplier may be conditional, based on factors such as delivery frequency, purchase volume, service standards, and complaint handling. These approvals can also be temporary while Caring Senior Service evaluates the supplier.
If a franchisee wishes to purchase items from a supplier not already approved, they must submit a written request to Caring Senior Service for approval. Caring Senior Service may inspect the supplier's facilities and require product samples for testing, with a decision made within 30 days of submission. Caring Senior Service also reserves the right to re-inspect approved suppliers and revoke approval if they no longer meet the franchisor's criteria. The franchisee may be required to reimburse Caring Senior Service for the costs associated with these inspections or evaluations. Ultimately, Caring Senior Service is not obligated to approve any proposed supplier.
This policy ensures that Caring Senior Service maintains control over the quality and consistency of products used within the franchise system. However, it also limits the franchisee's autonomy in sourcing products and potentially reduces their ability to negotiate better prices or terms with alternative suppliers. Prospective franchisees should inquire about the criteria for supplier approval, the process for requesting approval of new suppliers, and any potential costs associated with supplier evaluations.