How does Crab N Spice account for pre-opening activities that are not brand specific?
Crab_N_Spice Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
The Company expects that certain pre-opening activities provided to the franchisee will not be brand specific and will provide the franchisee with relevant general business information that is separate and distinct from the operation of a company-branded franchise unit. The portion of pre-opening activities that will be provided that is not brand specific is expected to be distinct as it will provide a benefit to the franchisee and is expected not to be highly interrelated or interdependent to the access of the Company's intellectual property, and therefore will be accounted for as a separate distinct performance obligation. All other pre-opening activities are expected to be highly interrelated and interdependent to the access of the Company's intellectual property and therefore will be accounted for as a single performance obligation, which is satisfied by granting certain rights to access the Company's intellectual property over the term of each franchise agreement.
The Company estimates the stand-alone selling price of pre-opening activities using an adjusted market assessment approach. The Company will first allocate the initial franchise fees and the fixed consideration, under the franchise agreement to the standalone selling price of the training services that are not brand specific and the residual, if any, to the right to access the Company's intellectual property. Consideration allocated to pre-opening activities, which are not brand specific are recognized ratably as those services are rendered. Consideration allocated to pre-opening activities included under Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to ASC 606, Franchisors—'Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Subtopic 952-606): Practical Expedient' is recognized when the related services have been rendered.
The remaining franchisee fee not allocated to pre-opening activities are recorded as Unearned Revenue and will be recognized over the term of the franchise agreement.
Source: Item 21 — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (FDD pages 40–50)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Crab N Spice's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, the company distinguishes between pre-opening activities that are brand-specific and those that are not. Crab N Spice recognizes that some pre-opening activities provide franchisees with general business information that is separate from the operation of a Crab N Spice franchise. These non-brand-specific activities are treated as a distinct performance obligation.
Crab N Spice estimates the stand-alone selling price of these non-brand-specific pre-opening activities using an adjusted market assessment approach. The company allocates the initial franchise fees and fixed consideration under the franchise agreement to the stand-alone selling price of the training services that are not brand specific. Any residual amount is then allocated to the right to access Crab N Spice's intellectual property.
The consideration allocated to these non-brand-specific pre-opening activities is recognized ratably as the services are rendered. This means that Crab N Spice recognizes the revenue as it provides these services to the franchisee. The remaining franchisee fee, which is not allocated to these pre-opening activities, is recorded as unearned revenue and is recognized over the term of the franchise agreement.