Will Chocolate Fish Coffee maintain a website for the brand?
Chocolate_Fish_Coffee Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
upon request. (Section 9.3)
- G. Website. We will maintain a website for the Chocolate Fish Coffee brand, which will include your business information and telephone number. (Section 5.5)
Advertising
Our obligation. We will use the Brand Fund only for marketing and related purposes and costs. Media coverage is primarily local. We use outside vendors and consultants to produce advertising. We are not required to spend any amount of advertising in the area or territory where any particular franchisee is located. We will maintain the brand website (which may be paid for by the Brand Fund). We have no other obligation to conduct advertising.
Your own advertising material. You may use your own advertising or marketing material only with our approval. To obtain our approval, you must submit any proposed advertising or marketing material at least 14 days prior to use. If we do not respond, the material is deemed rejected.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 20–27)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to the 2024 Chocolate Fish Coffee Franchise Disclosure Document, Chocolate Fish Coffee will maintain a website for the brand. The FDD specifies that the website will include the franchisee's business information and telephone number. The brand website maintenance may be paid for by the Brand Fund, which franchisees contribute to at a rate of 1% of gross sales per week.
Chocolate Fish Coffee states that it will use the Brand Fund only for marketing and related costs. While the brand will maintain a website, Chocolate Fish Coffee is not required to spend any specific amount on advertising in the area or territory where any particular franchisee is located. This means that while a franchisee's information will be listed on the brand website, Chocolate Fish Coffee doesn't guarantee any specific level of advertising or promotion in the franchisee's local market.
Prospective franchisees should consider the implications of this structure, understanding that while Chocolate Fish Coffee provides a brand website, local advertising efforts and their associated costs may largely fall on the franchisee. It is important to note that franchisees may use their own advertising or marketing material only with Chocolate Fish Coffee's approval, which requires submission at least 14 days prior to use. If Chocolate Fish Coffee does not respond, the material is deemed rejected.