What is the 'Co-Branded Bakery Schedule' in the Cinnabon franchise agreement?
Cinnabon Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- An "Auntie Anne's Co-Branded Bakery" is a Full Bakery where you produce and sell a range of Cinnabon® products in conjunction with those products authorized to be sold
under the Auntie Anne's® franchise system. In order to operate an Auntie Anne's Co-Branded Bakery, you must (i) purchase a Cinnabon® franchise from us, sign a Franchise Agreement with us, and sign the Co-Branded Bakery Schedule, which is attached as Exhibit C to this Disclosure Document (the "Co-Branded Bakery Schedule") and (ii) purchase an Auntie Anne's® franchise from Auntie Anne's and sign an Auntie Anne's® franchise agreement and co-branded schedule with Auntie Anne's. The terms of the Auntie Anne's® franchise offering, franchise agreement, and related agreements that Auntie Anne's will require you to sign are disclosed in the Auntie Anne's® Disclosure Document, which you must obtain from Auntie Anne's. We will not grant you the right to operate an Auntie Anne's Co-Branded Bakery, unless Auntie Anne's agrees to offer you an Auntie Anne's® franchise and to permit the franchise to be operated at a co-branded location.
- A "Carvel Co-Branded Bakery" is a Full Bakery where you produce and sell a range of Cinnabon® products in conjunction with those products authorized to be sold under the Carvel® franchise system. In order to operate a Carvel Co-Branded Bakery, you must (i) purchase a Cinnabon® franchise from us, sign a Franchise Agreement with us, and sign the Co-Branded Bakery Schedule, which is attached as Exhibit C to this Disclosure Document (the "Co-Branded Bakery Schedule") and (ii) purchase a Carvel® franchise from Carvel and sign a Carvel® franchise agreement and co-branded schedule with Carvel. The terms of the Carvel® franchise offering, franchise agreement, and related agreements that Carvel will require you to sign are disclosed in the Carvel® Disclosure Document, which you must obtain from Carvel. We will not grant you the right to operate a Carvel Co-Branded Bakery, unless Carvel agrees to offer you a Carvel® franchise and to permit the franchise to be operated at a co-branded location.
Source: Item 1 — The Franchisor and any Parents, Predecessors, and Affiliates (FDD pages 9–25)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Cinnabon FDD, the Co-Branded Bakery Schedule is an agreement that franchisees must sign in addition to the standard Franchise Agreement if they intend to operate a Cinnabon location in conjunction with another franchise brand, specifically Auntie Anne's or Carvel. This schedule is attached as Exhibit C to the Disclosure Document.
The FDD specifies that to operate an Auntie Anne's Co-Branded Bakery, a franchisee must (i) purchase a Cinnabon franchise, sign the Cinnabon Franchise Agreement, and sign the Co-Branded Bakery Schedule with Cinnabon, and (ii) purchase an Auntie Anne's franchise and sign the Auntie Anne's franchise agreement and co-branded schedule with Auntie Anne's. The terms of the Auntie Anne's franchise are disclosed in Auntie Anne's Disclosure Document, which the franchisee must obtain from Auntie Anne's. Cinnabon will not grant the right to operate a co-branded location unless Auntie Anne's agrees to offer a franchise and permit operation at a co-branded location. The same conditions apply to Carvel co-branded locations.
This co-branding arrangement allows franchisees to leverage the established brand recognition and customer base of both Cinnabon and the co-branded partner, potentially increasing revenue and market reach. However, it also requires the franchisee to comply with the operational standards and requirements of both franchise systems, which could add complexity to the business. Prospective franchisees should carefully review both the Cinnabon and the co-branded franchise disclosure documents and agreements to fully understand their obligations and the potential benefits and risks of this arrangement.