Is a Cordova franchisee's right to relocate their business guaranteed?
Cordova Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Your right to relocate your Cordova Business and, thereby, your Operating Territory is not guaranteed and approval of a relocation request by you is completely at our discretion. We evaluate relocation requests on a case-by-case basis and consider factors such as operational history, the location of your Operating Territory, our expansion plans, and other factors that, at the time of a relocation request, are relevant to us.
Source: Item 12 — TERRITORY (FDD pages 28–30)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cordova's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee's right to relocate their business is not guaranteed. Cordova retains complete discretion over relocation requests. This means that even if a franchisee believes a new location would significantly improve their business, Cordova has the final say.
Cordova evaluates relocation requests on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as the franchisee's operational history, the location of their current operating territory, and Cordova's overall expansion plans. The FDD indicates that other factors relevant to Cordova at the time of the request will also be considered.
This lack of guaranteed relocation rights introduces a degree of uncertainty for franchisees. While many franchise systems review relocation requests, the FDD language suggests Cordova maintains significant control over this process. A prospective franchisee should carefully consider this when evaluating the franchise opportunity and discuss specific relocation scenarios with Cordova during their due diligence.
It is important for potential franchisees to understand that approval is not assured, and business plans should account for the possibility of remaining in the original territory for the duration of the franchise agreement.