Does Churchs Chicken currently charge an additional fee to approve suppliers and distributors?
Churchs_Chicken Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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.
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, as of the FDD date, Churchs Chicken does not currently charge an additional fee to approve suppliers and distributors. However, the document states that Churchs Chicken reserves the right to implement such a fee in the future.
If a franchisee wants to use a non-approved supplier or distributor, they must submit a written request for approval. As part of the approval process, Churchs Chicken may require the supplier or distributor to allow inspections of their facilities and provide samples for testing. The franchisee or the supplier/distributor is responsible for covering the reasonable costs of inspection and the actual cost of testing. 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.
Churchs Chicken also retains the right to periodically reinspect the facilities and products of any approved supplier or distributor and can revoke approval if the supplier or distributor no longer meets their standards. This ongoing review process includes factors such as inspecting and testing sample products to ensure they meet Churchs Chicken's standards for quality, food safety, and sanitation. This ensures that all suppliers and distributors consistently meet the required standards, protecting the brand's reputation and the quality of products used in Churchs Chicken restaurants.