Are the governing documents for Crab N Spice advertising cooperatives currently available for franchisees to review?
Crab_N_Spice Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
Local or Regional Advertising Cooperatives. We do not currently have any local or regional advertising cooperatives. We have the right to require you to participate in a local or regional advertising cooperative. We will define the area of the cooperative based on media markets, or other geographic criteria that we deem appropriate. Each franchisee in the area would have one vote per outlet (unless the franchisee is in default under its franchise agreement). The amount you must contribute to the cooperative will be determined by vote of the members, but not less than 1% of gross sales. If our own outlets are members of a cooperative, they must contribute to the cooperative on the same basis as franchisees, and they will vote on the same basis as other members. If our outlets have controlling voting power, there is no maximum on fees that could be imposed. We administer the cooperative, but we have the right to delegate responsibility for administration to an outside company such as an advertising agency or accounting firm, or to the franchisee members of the cooperative. We have the right to require the cooperative to operate from written bylaws or other governing documents that we determine. The documents are not currently available for you to review. Cooperatives will prepare annual financial statements which will be made available for review only by us and by the members of cooperative. We have the power to require cooperatives to be formed, changed, dissolved, or merged.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 20–27)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to the 2024 Crab N Spice Franchise Disclosure Document, the governing documents for any local or regional advertising cooperatives are not currently available for franchisee review. Crab N Spice has the right to require franchisees to participate in these cooperatives, defining the area based on media markets or other geographic criteria.
Each franchisee within the cooperative area has one vote per outlet, unless they are in default of their franchise agreement. The contribution amount is determined by the members' vote, but it will not be less than 1% of gross sales. If Crab N Spice's own outlets are members, they contribute and vote on the same basis as franchisees. However, if Crab N Spice outlets have controlling voting power, there is no limit to the fees that could be imposed.
Crab N Spice administers the cooperative but can delegate this responsibility. They also have the right to require the cooperative to operate from written bylaws or other governing documents that they determine. While these documents are not currently available for review, the cooperatives will prepare annual financial statements, which will be available for review by Crab N Spice and the cooperative members. Crab N Spice retains the power to form, change, dissolve, or merge these cooperatives.