Who retains the rights, title, and interest in the Coffee News Periodical after the franchise agreement is terminated?

According to the 2025 Coffee News Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination of the franchise agreement, all rights, title, and interest in the Coffee News Periodical remain with the Franchisor. Specifically, Coffee News USA, Inc. retains these rights as the holder of an exclusive license covering the United States. This means that a franchisee who has had their agreement terminated no longer has any rights to publish or use the Periodical or any associated system, names, and marks.

This provision is significant for prospective franchisees as it clarifies the ownership of the Coffee News Periodical and related intellectual property. Upon termination, the franchisee loses all rights to the publication and must cease any further use of the Coffee News system. This includes the inability to continue publishing or distributing the Periodical, or using any associated names and marks.

Furthermore, upon termination, the franchisee is obligated to return all materials related to the Coffee News business. This includes the Operations Manual, all printed and working copies of the Periodical, advertiser lists, advertiser identities, telephone numbers and addresses, files and records pertinent to customers, monthly sales records, camera-ready artwork, holders, and all printed back issues. This ensures that the franchisor regains complete control over the Coffee News publication and its associated assets, and the franchisee cannot continue to operate a similar business using Coffee News' proprietary information and materials.

This is a standard practice in franchising, as franchisors typically retain ownership of their brand, trademarks, and operating systems. This allows Coffee News to maintain consistency and protect its brand identity across all franchise locations, even after a franchise agreement has been terminated.