Is Engel & Volkers U.S. Holding GmbH engaged in any other business activities besides those related to Engel & Volkers?
Engel_Volkers Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Our direct parent, U.S. Holding GmbH, has been granted an exclusive master license regarding the residential real estate brokerage sector to use the Engel & Völkers System (described below) and the ENGEL & VÖLKERS® and E&V® Trademarks (described in Item 13) in the United States, Mexico Cayman Islands, Belize and The Bahamas. On January 9, 2006 U.S. Holding GmbH exclusively sublicensed those rights in the United States to us. In July 2016 they also exclusively subfranchisedto us those rights for Mexico, Cayman Islands, Belize and The Bahamas. In September 2018 they exclusively subfranchised to us those rights for the remainder of the Caribbean and Central America. In March 2024, U.S. Holding GmbH also granted us an exclusive license to use the the ENGEL & VÖLKERS® and E&V® Trademarks in the commerical real esate segment. U.S. Holding GmbH has also been granted an exclusive master franchise regarding the yachting brokerage segment of the Engel & Völkers Yachting System (described below) and the ENGEL & VÖLKERS™, E&V™, GG® and GG GLOBAL GUIDE® Trademarks in the United States. U.S. Holding GmbH exclusively sublicensed those rights to us in September 2012. U.S. Holding GmbH is not engaged in any other business activities.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS, AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 8–15)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Engel & Volkers' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, U.S. Holding GmbH, the direct parent company, focuses its business activities on the Engel & Volkers system. Specifically, U.S. Holding GmbH has been granted an exclusive master license for the residential real estate brokerage sector to use the Engel & Völkers system and trademarks in the United States, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Belize, and The Bahamas. They have sublicensed these rights to Engel & Volkers Americas, Inc.
U.S. Holding GmbH also holds an exclusive master franchise for the yachting brokerage segment of the Engel & Volkers Yachting System in the United States, which they have also sublicensed to Engel & Volkers Americas, Inc. The FDD clearly states that U.S. Holding GmbH is not involved in any other business activities outside of these Engel & Volkers-related ventures.
For a prospective franchisee, this indicates that the parent company's sole focus is supporting and developing the Engel & Volkers brand. This could be seen as a positive, as it suggests that resources and attention are not diverted to other unrelated business ventures. Franchisees can likely expect a dedicated focus on the growth and maintenance of the Engel & Volkers real estate and yachting brokerage systems.