What limits may Caring Senior Service impose on the number of approved items and suppliers?
Caring_Senior_Service Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If you want to use any product, material or render any service that does not comply with the standards of the System or is to be purchased from a supplier that has not yet been approved, you must first submit a written request for approval of the proposed product or supplier and obtain our approval of the product or supplier before purchasing the product or purchasing any items from this supplier. We will, within a reasonable time (within 30 days), notify you of our decision. We will establish procedures for submitting requests for approval of items and suppliers and may impose limits on the number of approved items and suppliers. Approval of a supplier may be conditioned on requirements relating to product quality, production and delivery capabilities, ability to meet our supply commitments, financial stability, integrity of standards of service, familiarity with our System and ability to negotiate favorable terms for our franchisees. We do not generally make available to you or any proposed supplier our criteria for approval. You must not sell or offer for sale any products of a proposed supplier until our written approval of the proposed product or supplier is received. We may revoke our approval of particular products or suppliers when we determine, in our sole discretion, that the products or suppliers no longer meet our standards. Upon receipt of written notice of revocation, you must stop selling any disapproved products and stop purchasing from any disapproved supplier. We reserve the right to require you to reimburse our costs related to our evaluation of any proposed new product or supplier.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 21–23)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Caring Senior Service's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Caring Senior Service retains the right to set limits on the number of approved items and suppliers a franchisee can use. If a franchisee wishes to use a product or service that doesn't meet Caring Senior Service's standards or purchase from an unapproved supplier, they must seek written approval from Caring Senior Service before proceeding. Caring Senior Service will then notify the franchisee of their decision within a reasonable timeframe, approximately 30 days.
Caring Senior Service's approval of a supplier may depend on factors such as product quality, production and delivery capabilities, ability to meet supply commitments, financial stability, service standards, familiarity with the Caring Senior Service system, and the ability to negotiate favorable terms for franchisees. However, Caring Senior Service does not generally disclose its specific approval criteria to franchisees or potential suppliers. Franchisees are prohibited from selling products from a proposed supplier until they receive written approval from Caring Senior Service.
Caring Senior Service also reserves the right to revoke approval of particular products or suppliers if they no longer meet the company's standards. Franchisees must immediately cease selling disapproved products and stop purchasing from disapproved suppliers upon receiving written notice of revocation. Furthermore, Caring Senior Service reserves the right to require franchisees to reimburse costs related to the evaluation of any proposed new product or supplier. This system allows Caring Senior Service to maintain quality control and consistency across its franchise network, but it also means franchisees have limited autonomy in choosing their suppliers and products.