From whom must Carvel franchisees purchase Proprietary Ingredients?
Carvel Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must purchase all of your requirements of Proprietary Ingredients, Proprietary Products, and proprietary uniforms, signs, menu boards, smallwares, materials, supplies, paper goods, equipment, and packaging (collectively, the "Proprietary Goods") from us, our affiliates, or our designated Approved Suppliers. The Proprietary Goods include printed paper, paper products, and plastic products bearing our Proprietary Marks (including, for example, dishes, containers, cartons, bags, napkins, and packaging supplies). We may require you to purchase certain trademarked product lines consisting of t-shirts, apparel, mugs and other merchandise and products bearing the Proprietary Marks ("Trademarked Product Lines") from us, our affiliates, or our designated Approved Suppliers. In addition, if we conduct test marketing to determine consumer trends and the salability of new food or non-food products and services, you may be required to purchase a reasonable quantity of test products we specify from designated Approved Suppliers.
Source: Item 8 — Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services (FDD pages 52–56)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Carvel's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to purchase all Proprietary Ingredients from specific sources. These sources include Carvel itself, its affiliates, or the Approved Suppliers that Carvel designates. This requirement extends beyond just ingredients to include all Proprietary Goods, such as proprietary uniforms, signs, menu boards, smallwares, materials, supplies, paper goods, equipment, and packaging.
This mandate ensures that Carvel maintains control over the quality and consistency of its products and branding. By requiring franchisees to purchase from approved sources, Carvel can enforce standards and specifications for the goods used in the operation of the franchise. This also includes printed paper, paper products, and plastic products bearing Carvel's Proprietary Marks, like dishes, containers, cartons, bags, napkins, and packaging supplies.
Carvel also retains the right to require franchisees to purchase Trademarked Product Lines, such as t-shirts, apparel, mugs, and other merchandise bearing the Proprietary Marks, from the same designated sources. Furthermore, if Carvel conducts test marketing for new food or non-food products and services, franchisees may be required to purchase a reasonable quantity of these test products from designated Approved Suppliers. This allows Carvel to gather data on consumer trends and the salability of new offerings while ensuring consistency across participating locations.