Does Coffee News retain exclusive license covering the United States after termination?
Coffee_News Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
forthwith cease and Franchisee shall not thereafter publish or use the Periodical or any part thereof or the system, names and marks associated with the Periodical in any manner whatsoever.
- 14.2 Continuation of Franchisor's Rights. Upon termination of this Agreement for any cause whatsoever, all rights, title and interest in and to the Periodical shall remain with Franchisor as holder of an exclusive license covering the United States.
- 14.3 Return of Materials. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, Franchisee shall return the Operations Manual, all printed and working copies of the Periodical then in existence plus all advertiser lists, present advertiser identities, telephone numbers and addresses, together with all files and records pertinent to such customers in the licensed area, monthly sales records up to the date of termination, all camera-ready artwork in connection with the Periodical, holders and all printed back issues.
15.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 36–118)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Coffee News Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination of the franchise agreement, all rights to the Periodical remain with Coffee News as the holder of an exclusive license covering the United States. This means that if a franchisee's agreement is terminated, Coffee News retains the exclusive rights to the Coffee News publication within the United States. The franchisee loses all rights to publish or use the Periodical, or any associated system, names, and marks.
This has significant implications for a prospective franchisee. If the franchise agreement is terminated for any reason, the franchisee immediately loses the right to operate the Coffee News business. They cannot continue publishing the Periodical or using the Coffee News brand. This could result in a complete loss of the franchisee's investment and revenue stream.
Additionally, upon termination, the franchisee is required to return the Operations Manual, all printed copies of the Periodical, advertiser lists, sales records, camera-ready artwork, and printed back issues to Coffee News. This further restricts the franchisee's ability to continue any similar business activities after termination, as all relevant materials and resources must be surrendered to the franchisor.