factual

What support services is the Coffee News franchisor obligated to provide?

Coffee_News Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

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").

  • 10.1 Mentoring Program. Upon signing of this Agreement and receipt of the initial franchise fee payment, we provide all new publishers with the access to all necessary pre-opening training materials and our mentor training program.
  • 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.

Franchisee acknowledges and agrees that it will purchase the printing services from Coffee News Printing, LLC in Bangor, Maine for a minimum period of one (1) year from the date of this Agreement.

Upon expiration of such one (1) year, Franchisee may continue using the printing service of Coffee News Printing, LLC, but has the option to purchase printing service from another print shop.

If Franchisor provides Franchisee with financing to purchase minimum of four or more franchised units, subject to the initial payment of the training fees referenced in Paragraph 10 hereof, Franchisee agrees that it shall use the printing services of Coffee News Printing, LLC during the term of the loan.

Franchisee acknowledges and agrees to comply with Coffee News Social Media Policies that Coffee News adopted that may be amended from time to time.

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 detailing how to arrange periodical distribution, sell advertising, design advertisements, determine advertising pricing, and define coverage areas. This manual includes sample advertisements, office supply samples, insertion orders, business cards, envelopes, and monthly sales envelopes.

Coffee News also offers a mentoring program upon signing the agreement and receipt of the initial franchise fee, providing access to pre-opening training materials. Additionally, Coffee News provides a basic online service that includes layout of current content, submitted ads and events posted each Monday, a dedicated URL for the franchisee's online edition, up to 40 single ad spaces, mobile-responsive and clickable ads, one sponsorship ad per week, and a hidden Coffee News man in one of the ads each week that is clickable to the contest entry form.

For franchisees needing more support, Coffee News offers a premium online service. In addition to the basic service, third-party contractors will provide email marketing services of the online edition and other email marketing messages to the franchisee's contacts each week, with the franchisee providing the email content. Franchisees are obligated to purchase printing services from Coffee News Printing, LLC for the first year, with options to switch to another provider afterward, unless they receive financing from Coffee News to purchase a minimum of four franchised units, in which case they must continue using Coffee News Printing, LLC during the loan term. Coffee News also provides a social media policy that franchisees must adhere to.

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.