What criteria must suppliers and distributors meet to be approved by Churchs Chicken?
Churchs_Chicken Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must purchase all items (except for Trade Secret Products, Proprietary Products, and items that you must purchase from designated suppliers) needed to operate the Restaurant (such as french fries, flour, food trays, paperwares, etc.) only from suppliers and distributors who demonstrate, to our continuing and reasonable satisfaction, the ability to meet our reasonable standards for those items; who possess adequate quality controls and capacity to supply your needs promptly and reliably; and as to whom we have given (and not revoked) our written approval.
If you want to obtain items from a non-approved supplier or distributor, you (or the supplier or distributor) must make a written request to us seeking approval. As a condition of our approval, we may require that the supplier or distributor allow our representatives to inspect its facilities and that the supplier or distributor deliver samples, at our option, either to us or to an independent laboratory that we designate for testing before we will grant our approval. The approval process ranges from 30 days for simple items to 18 months for highly complex food formulas, which require more extensive testing. You or the supplier or distributor must pay a charge not to exceed our reasonable cost of inspection and the actual cost of testing. We do not currently charge an additional fee to approve suppliers and distributors, but we reserve the right to do so. We reserve the right, at our option, to periodically reinspect the facilities and products of any approved supplier or distributor. We have the right to revoke our approval if we find that a supplier or distributor no longer meets our standards. The process of reviewing possible suppliers and distributors includes many factors, such as inspecting and testing sample products to determine whether the products meet ourstandards, inspecting a proposed distributor's physical plant and similarstepsto assure compliance with our standards for quality, food safety and sanitation. If we conclude that an approved supplier or distributor no longer meets our standards, we will revoke our approval of that supplier or distributor.
We will provide our standards to you through our Manual. We will lend you a copy of our Manual when you sign the Franchise Agreement and pay us the initial Franchise Fee and any other amounts then due. We may update and revise these standards periodically, and we will notify you of these changes by written or electronic communication. See Item 11. We usually develop standards internally, but sometimes we develop standards with suppliers.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 31–34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Churchs Chicken's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must purchase most items needed to operate their restaurant from approved suppliers and distributors. To gain and maintain approval, these suppliers and distributors must consistently meet Churchs Chicken's standards for the items they provide. They must also demonstrate adequate quality controls and the capacity to reliably and promptly supply the franchisee's needs. Churchs Chicken retains the right to revoke approval if a supplier or distributor no longer meets these standards.
If a franchisee wishes to use a non-approved supplier or distributor, they (or the supplier/distributor) must submit a written request for approval to Churchs Chicken. As part of the approval process, Churchs Chicken may require the supplier or distributor to allow inspections of their facilities and to provide product samples for testing, either to Churchs Chicken or an independent laboratory. The approval timeline can vary significantly, ranging from 30 days for simple items to as long as 18 months for more complex food formulas that require extensive testing.
The franchisee or the supplier/distributor is responsible for covering the costs associated with inspections and testing. While Churchs Chicken does not currently charge an additional fee for supplier/distributor approval, they reserve the right to implement such fees in the future. Churchs Chicken also reserves the right to periodically reinspect the facilities and products of any approved supplier or distributor to ensure ongoing compliance with their standards. The evaluation process for potential suppliers and distributors involves factors such as inspecting facilities and testing product samples to ensure they meet Churchs Chicken's standards for quality, food safety, and sanitation.
Churchs Chicken will provide its standards in its Manual, which is provided to the franchisee after signing the Franchise Agreement and paying the initial Franchise Fee and any other amounts then due. These standards may be updated and revised periodically, and Churchs Chicken will notify franchisees of any changes in writing or electronically. Franchisees should be aware that maintaining an approved supply chain is critical for consistent product quality and brand reputation within the Churchs Chicken system.