What must a Cinnaholic franchisee do if their construction plans and specifications deviate from Cinnaholic's plans and specifications?
Cinnaholic Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must also adhere to our standards and specifications for the construction and design of the Bakery, which will include requirements for the interior and exterior layout, signage, fixtures, and trade dress including the color scheme. You may purchase these items from any supplier that meets our standards and specifications, unless we designate an approved supplier for an item. In which case, you must purchase the item from the approved supplier. We may, at any time, change, delete, add to, or modify any of our standards and specifications. These changes, deletions, additions, or modifications, which will be uniform for all franchisees, may require additional expenditures by you.
You must prepare all required construction plans and specifications and ensure they comply with building codes and ordinances. If your construction plans and specifications deviate from our plans and specifications, you must obtain our approval of the changes. It is your responsibility to obtain all required licenses, permits, and approvals associated with constructing and operating your Bakery.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 21–25)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Cinnaholic Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee must obtain Cinnaholic's approval if their construction plans and specifications deviate from the standard plans and specifications provided by Cinnaholic. This ensures that even with necessary adjustments for local building codes or ordinances, the Cinnaholic brand's standards for design and construction are maintained. The franchisee is responsible for ensuring that all construction plans comply with local building codes and ordinances.
This requirement is typical in franchising, as franchisors like Cinnaholic need to maintain uniformity across all locations to protect brand identity and customer experience. By requiring approval for deviations, Cinnaholic retains control over the look and feel of each bakery, ensuring consistency in layout, signage, and overall trade dress. This can impact the franchisee's timeline and costs, as obtaining approval may require additional time and potentially additional fees if revisions are needed.
For a prospective Cinnaholic franchisee, this means that any desired changes to the standard construction plans must be submitted to Cinnaholic for review and approval. It is crucial to factor in the time required for this approval process when planning the construction timeline. Additionally, franchisees should be prepared to justify any proposed deviations and to potentially incur costs associated with revising plans to meet Cinnaholic's requirements. Understanding this process and budgeting accordingly is essential for a smooth and successful bakery build-out.