Is Coffee News Online considered part of the franchise offered by Coffee News?
Coffee_News Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ffered**
We sell to you the right to publish Coffee News (the "Periodical") in hard copy and/or online version ("Coffee News Online"), and to distribute the Periodical to restaurants and other local establishments and to distribute Coffee News Online within a specified geographic area which is your exclusive territory. "You" or "Publisher" represents the franchisee, or in the event of a corporation, limited partnership, or other entity, "you" represents the owners of the franchisee or the Publisher. You will generate revenue through sales of advertising space on weekly editions of the Periodical. Food-related businesses such as restaurants distribute Coffee News as a service to their clientele and do not pay or receive any fee for this service. There are no limits as to where you may sell advertising.
On July 3, 1995, we acquired and operated 4 franchises in the Greater Bangor, Maine area until October 1, 2003 when they were sold. On August 1, 2012, we reacquired the 4 franchises in the Greater Bangor Area in Maine and have added a 5th franchise for Waldo County, Maine. On June 1, 2017, we assumed control of five (5) franchises in Maine due to the sudden death of the franchisee. On October 1, 2019 the four (4) franchises in the Greater Bangor area in Maine, along with the one (1) Waldo County, Maine edition were sold bringing our company owned franchises to three (3). Since February 5, 1996, we have offered franchises for sale as a sub franchisor in the USA, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Source: Item 1 — The Franchisor and any Parents, Predecessors, and Affiliates (FDD pages 7–9)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Coffee News's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchise offered includes both the hard copy and online versions of the Coffee News publication. Specifically, Coffee News sells the right to publish Coffee News in both formats, allowing franchisees to distribute the periodical to local establishments and online within their exclusive territory. Franchisees generate revenue through the sale of advertising space in both the weekly hard copy editions and the online version.
The online version of Coffee News retains many of the features of the hard copy format but includes enhanced features to increase accessibility and marketing opportunities. It also allows for additional advertising revenue, including from restaurants, which typically cannot advertise in the print version except during seasonal editions. To utilize the Coffee News Online feature, franchisees can choose between two options: Basic and Premium, as detailed in Section 4 of the Coffee News Franchise Agreement.
Coffee News entered into service agreements with Chil Consulting in January 2021 and Shadow Fox Consulting in January 2022 to provide Coffee News Online related services. These services enable Coffee News franchisees to publish a digital version of the Coffee News publication. This integration of online services into the franchise offering reflects an adaptation to modern media consumption habits and provides franchisees with additional revenue streams and marketing tools.