For Carls Jr. franchises, where can a list of approved suppliers be obtained?
Carls_Jr Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Where we have issued standards and specifications, you must use only ingredients, food products, spices, seasonings, mixes, beverages, materials, supplies used in the preparation of food products, furniture, fixtures, equipment, smallwares, forms, paper and plastic products and packaging, cleaning supplies, and other materials that meet our standards and specifications as contained in the Operation Procedures Manual ("OPM"). A list of approved suppliers is available upon written request addressed to our Quality Assurance Department. Most food items and other goods that you are required to purchase will be purchased from a master distributor. The master distributor will carry items such as meats, cheese, grocery, bread products, paper and cleaning supplies. As of the date of this disclosure document, our master distributor is Distribution Market Advantage ("DMA"). We reserve the right to change the master distributors. Other master distributors may be approved from time to time.
Certain of CJR's products, including our "special sauce," are confidential secret recipes and are considered trade secrets. For those CJR products, in order to control and maintain the quality and consistency of these products, you must use only our secret recipe products and purchase them from us, our affiliate or a source designated by us. For the fiscal year ended January 27, 2025, neither our affiliates nor us received any revenue from the sale of these products to our franchisees.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 37–41)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Carls Jr. Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must adhere to the standards and specifications outlined in the Operation Procedures Manual (OPM) regarding ingredients, food products, materials, supplies, and equipment. To obtain a list of approved suppliers, a franchisee must submit a written request to the Quality Assurance Department.
Carls Jr. uses a master distributor, Distribution Market Advantage (DMA) as of the date of the disclosure, for the majority of food items and other goods, including meats, cheese, groceries, bread products, paper, and cleaning supplies. However, Carls Jr. retains the right to change master distributors and approve additional distributors in the future.
For certain proprietary products, such as the "special sauce," franchisees are required to purchase directly from Carls Jr., its affiliates, or a designated source to maintain quality and consistency. The FDD indicates that for the fiscal year ended January 27, 2025, neither Carls Jr. nor its affiliates received revenue from the sale of these products to franchisees.