factual

What is the Cream franchisee required to obtain from their personnel and representatives regarding Innovations?

Cream Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

(7) any software or technology which is proprietary to the System, including any login credentials for, source code of, and data, reports, and other materials generated by, the software or similar technology; (8) knowledge of the operating results and financial performance of any Jeni's Ice Creams Scoop Shops, including your Jeni's Ice Creams Scoop Shops; (9) customer data, including personal information, analytic data, and opt-in/opt-out preferences; and (10) any other information designated as confidential or proprietary by us or our affiliates.

All Confidential Information will be owned by us or our affiliates (other than personally identifiable information relating to the employees, officers, contractors, owners or other personnel of you, your affiliates, or your Jeni's Ice Creams Scoop Shop, and/or such other personally identifiable information designated by us from time to time). You acknowledge and agree that: (1) you will not acquire any interest in any of our Confidential Information, other than the right to use it as we specify under this Agreement or the Franchise Agreements you sign, in each case in accordance with the terms of such agreement; and (2) our Confidential Information is proprietary, includes our trade secrets, and is disclosed to you only on the condition that you will protect it. You acknowledge that any unauthorized use or disclosure of our Confidential Information would be an unfair method of competition and a breach of trust and confidence and will result in irreparable harm to us and/or our affiliates. You and your owners agree to (and to use each of your best efforts to cause each of your respective current and former spouses, immediate family members, owners, officers, directors, employees, representatives, affiliates, successors and assigns to):

  • (a) process, retain, use, collect, and disclose our Confidential Information strictly to the limited extent, and in such a manner, as necessary for exercise of your Development Rights in accordance with this Agreement, and/or the operation of Jeni's Ice Creams Scoop Shops under the respective Franchise Agreements, and not for any other purpose of any kind;

  • (b) process, retain, use, collect, and disclose our Confidential Information strictly in accordance with the privacy policies and standards we establish from time to time, and our and our representative's instructions;

  • (c) keep confidential and not disclose, sell, distribute, or trade our Confidential Information to any person other than those of your employees and representatives who need to know such Confidential Information for the purpose of assisting you in exercising your Development Rights in accordance with this Agreement, and/or operating Jeni's Ice Creams Scoop Shops in accordance with Franchise Agreements with us; and you agree that you will be responsible for any violation of this requirement by any person to whom you provide Confidential Information;

    • (d) not make unauthorized copies of any of our Confidential Information;
  • (e) adopt and maintain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of any of our Confidential Information, including by establishing reasonable security and access measures, restricting its disclosure to key personnel, and/or by requiring persons who have access to such Confidential Information to be bound by contractual obligations to protect such Confidential Information and preserve our rights and controls in such Confidential Information, in each case that are no less protective or beneficial to us than the terms of this Agreement (and we reserve the right to designate or approve the form of confidentiality agreement that you use, provided that it is your responsibility to ensure that such agreement complies with and is enforceable under applicable laws in your jurisdiction); and

    • (f) at our request, destroy or return any of the Confidential Information.

Confidential Information does not include information, knowledge, or know-how, which is lawfully known to the public without violation of applicable law or an obligation to us or our affiliates.

We and our affiliates are not making any representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the Confidential Information. We and our affiliates have no liability to you and your affiliates for any errors or omissions from the Confidential Information.

B. INNOVATIONS.

All improvements, developments, derivative works, feedback, enhancements, or modifications to the System and any Confidential Information (collectively, "Innovations") made or created by you, your employees or your representatives, whether developed separately or in conjunction with us, shall be owned solely by us and will in no event be owned by you or your affiliates. You represent, warrant, and covenant that your employees and representatives are bound by written agreements assigning all rights in and to any Innovations developed or created by them to you. To the extent that you, your employees or your representatives are deemed to have any interest in such Innovations, you hereby agree to assign, and do assign, all right, title and interest in and to such Innovations to us and agree to obtain the same from your personnel and representatives.

Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 61–192)

What This Means (2025 FDD)

Based on the 2025 FDD, Cream franchisees and their owners must ensure that their personnel and representatives adhere to specific confidentiality obligations regarding the brand's Confidential Information. This includes processing, retaining, using, collecting, and disclosing Cream's Confidential Information strictly to the extent necessary for exercising development rights or operating Jeni's Ice Creams Scoop Shops, in accordance with the franchise agreement. This information must be handled according to Cream's privacy policies, standards, and instructions. Franchisees are responsible for any violations of these requirements by individuals to whom they provide Confidential Information.

Cream's definition of Confidential Information is broad, encompassing non-public details about the System and the operation of Jeni's Ice Creams Scoop Shops. This includes site selection criteria, training materials, System Standards, recipes, ingredient lists, marketing programs, supplier information, and software or technology. The Brand Manual, which contains mandatory specifications, standards, operating procedures, and rules, is also considered part of the Confidential Information. Franchisees must monitor digital presences for updates to the Brand Manual and protect access credentials.

These confidentiality obligations extend to current and former spouses, immediate family members, owners, officers, directors, employees, representatives, affiliates, successors, and assigns. Franchisees must use their best efforts to ensure that all these parties comply with the confidentiality requirements. Unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information is considered an unfair method of competition and a breach of trust, which could result in irreparable harm to Cream and its affiliates. Franchisees are prohibited from making unauthorized copies of Confidential Information.

In practical terms, this means Cream franchisees must implement robust internal policies and procedures to safeguard Confidential Information. They need to train their staff and representatives on these policies and ensure they understand their obligations. Franchisees should also have agreements in place with their personnel and representatives that legally bind them to maintain confidentiality. These measures are crucial to protect Cream's proprietary information and maintain the integrity of the franchise system.

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.