Can Crave Cookies change the beverages that a franchisee is authorized to sell?
Crave_Cookies Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- 8.1 Generally. Franchisee shall acquire all Inputs required by Crave Cookies Franchising from time to time in accordance with System Standards. Crave Cookies Franchising may require Franchisee to purchase or lease any Inputs from Crave Cookies Franchising, Crave Cookies Franchising's designee, Required Vendors, Approved Vendors, and/or under Crave Cookies Franchising's specifications. Crave Cookies Franchising may change any such requirement or change the status of any vendor. To make such requirement or change effective, Crave Cookies Franchising shall issue the appropriate System Standards.
- 8.2 Alternate Vendor Approval. If Crave Cookies Franchising requires Franchisee to purchase a particular Input only from an Approved Vendor or Required Vendor, and Franchisee desires to purchase the Input from another vendor, then Franchisee must submit a written request for approval and any information, specifications and/or samples requested by Crave Cookies Franchising. Crave Cookies Franchising may condition its approval on such criteria as Crave Cookies Franchising deems appropriate, which may include evaluations of the vendor's capacity, quality, financial stability, reputation, and reliability; inspections; product testing, and performance reviews. Crave Cookies Franchising will provide Franchisee with written notification of the approval or disapproval of any proposed new vendor within 30 days after receipt of Franchisee's request.
- 8.3 Alternate Input Approval. If Crave Cookies Franchising requires Franchisee to purchase a particular Input, and Franchisee desires to purchase an alternate to the Input, then Franchisee must submit a written request for approval and any information, specifications and/or samples requested by Crave Cookies Franchising. Crave Cookies Franchising will provide Franchisee with written notification of the approval or disapproval of any proposed alternate Input within 30 days after receipt of Franchisee's request.
Source: Item 16 — RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT THE FRANCHISEE MAY SELL (FDD page 34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Crave Cookies's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Crave Cookies has the authority to modify the required inputs, which would include beverages, that a franchisee must acquire. Specifically, Crave Cookies may require franchisees to purchase inputs from designated sources such as Crave Cookies Franchising itself, their designee, Required Vendors, or Approved Vendors, and they can change these requirements or the status of any vendor. To implement such changes, Crave Cookies will issue updated System Standards.
This means that a Crave Cookies franchisee may be required to change the beverages they offer, the suppliers they use, or both, based on decisions made by Crave Cookies. These changes are implemented through updates to the System Standards, which the franchisee is obligated to follow. This gives Crave Cookies significant control over the products sold at each franchise location, ensuring consistency across the brand.
If a franchisee wishes to use an alternate vendor or input (beverage), they must submit a written request for approval to Crave Cookies. Crave Cookies has the discretion to approve or disapprove the request based on criteria such as the vendor's capacity, quality, financial stability, reputation, and reliability. Crave Cookies will provide written notification of the decision within 30 days of receiving the request. This process allows franchisees some flexibility but ultimately gives Crave Cookies the final say in vendor and product selection.
This policy is fairly standard in franchising, as franchisors often need to maintain quality control and brand consistency. However, it's important for prospective Crave Cookies franchisees to understand that they may not have complete autonomy over their supply chain and product offerings. Franchisees should discuss with Crave Cookies the frequency and types of changes that have occurred in the past to better understand the potential impact on their business.