factual

What is the Coffee News franchisor's role in the publication of Coffee News?

Coffee_News Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

7. OBLIGATIONS OF FRANCHISOR.

In addition to the other obligations in this Agreement, Franchisor has the following obligations:

7.1 Operations Manual. Franchisor shall provide to Franchisee an operations manual describing how to arrange the distribution of the Periodical within the region covered by this Agreement, how to sell advertising, how advertising in the Periodical operates and how to design such advertisements, how to determine the suggested pricing of advertising, and how to determine coverage areas. This manual also will include sample Filler ad Advertisements, office supply samples such as sample insertion orders, sample business cards, envelopes and monthly sales envelopes for use by Franchisee in producing its own supplies of such materials (The "Operations Manual").

4.5.1. Basic service:

  • 4.5.1.1 Provides the layout of current content, submitted ads and What's Happening events dated and posted for each Monday for publishers to send to their contacts each week.
  • 4.5.1.2. Dedicated URL for your online edition (i.e. www.coffeenewsonline.com/ME/Bangor). All online editions can be found via a dropdown menu from the main site.
  • 4.5.1.3 Provides up to 40 single (400 x 300 pixel) ad spaces for sale from all industries including restaurants. Double ads (400 x 600 pixel) are also available to sell (and are counted as 2 ads). All ads rotate weekly.
  • 4.5.1.4. Ads are mobile responsive and clickable, linking directly to the advertiser's web, email or phone contact information.
  • 4.5.1.5. Provides 1 sponsorship ad for each week's online edition.
  • 4.5.1.6. Coffee News® man is hidden in one of the ads each week and clickable to the contest entry form as part of the Coffee News® Contest.
  • 4.5.2. Premium Service. The Premium Service is designed for publishers who do not already use an email marketing application such as MailChimp or Constant Contact. In addition to the Basic Service, Chil Consulting and/or Shadow Fox Consulting, the current third party contractors that provide Coffee News Online services, will provide email marketing services of your online edition and any other email marketing messages to your contacts for you each week. You would provide the email content to Chil Consulting and/or Shadow Fox Consulting.

7. Franchisor-generated content

From time to time, to keep the brand image consistent, the Franchisees may be required to post or use content provided by Coffee News.

8. Exclusion of incendiary topics and the right to remove content

To protect its brand, Coffee News reserves the right to monitor the use of social media and social networking by the Franchisees. Subject to Coffee News' sole discretion, Coffee News has the right to remove, or require a Franchisee to remove, any content posted by the Franchisee that violates this Social Media Policy, violates any laws or regulations, or that Coffee News feels is not consistent with an appropriate use of its trademarks and/or logo.

9. Disclaimers

Franchisees shall post or publish Disclaimers stating that the views and content of the site are those of the Franchisees, and do not necessarily reflect the position of Coffee News.

9.1 Reservation of Rights. All rights in the Periodical other than those specifically granted herein by Franchisor to Franchisee are reserved by Franchisor for full use by it or its assignees, transferees or licensees.

Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 36–118)

What This Means (2025 FDD)

According to the 2025 Coffee News Franchise Disclosure Document, Coffee News provides franchisees with an operations manual that details how to arrange distribution of the periodical, sell advertising, design advertisements, determine suggested pricing for advertising, and determine coverage areas. This manual includes sample filler advertisements and office supply samples. Coffee News retains ownership of all copyrights to the periodical, operations manual, training materials, marketing materials and all content developed by Coffee News.

Coffee News also offers Coffee News Online, a digital companion to the print publication. For the basic online service, Coffee News provides the layout of current content, submitted ads, and event postings each Monday. They also provide a dedicated URL for the franchisee's online edition, up to 40 single ad spaces, and one sponsorship ad each week. The ads are mobile responsive and link to the advertiser's contact information. For franchisees needing email marketing assistance, Coffee News offers a premium service where third-party contractors manage email marketing to the franchisee's contacts.

To maintain brand consistency, Coffee News may require franchisees to post or use content provided by them. Coffee News also reserves the right to monitor franchisees' social media use and remove content that violates their social media policy, laws, or is inconsistent with their trademarks and logo. Franchisees are required to include disclaimers indicating that the views and content are their own and do not necessarily reflect Coffee News's position. All rights in the periodical not specifically granted to the franchisee are reserved by Coffee News.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.