When did Carvel become affiliated with GoTo Foods, which is indirectly related to Hardees?
Hardees Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Carvel franchises Carvel® ice cream shoppes and is a leading retailer of branded ice cream cakes in the United States and a producer of premium soft-serve ice cream. The Carvel system became an Affiliated Program in October 2001 and became affiliated with GoTo Foods in November 2004. Carvel's predecessor began franchising retail ice cream shoppes in 1947. As of December 31, 2024, there were 336 franchised Carvel shoppes in the United States and 39 franchised Carvel shoppes outside the United States.
Source: Item 1 — The Franchisor and any Parents, Predecessors, and Affiliates (FDD pages 9–22)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hardees's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Carvel became affiliated with GoTo Foods in November 2004. GoTo Foods is the indirect parent company to several franchisors, including Carvel. Hardees is affiliated with these franchise programs through control with private equity funds managed by Roark Capital Management, LLC.
This affiliation means that while Hardees franchisees won't directly operate a Carvel franchise, they are part of a larger network of franchise brands under the same indirect parent company. This could potentially lead to shared resources, best practices, or cross-promotional opportunities within the GoTo Foods network. However, the FDD states that none of these affiliates operate a Hardee's Restaurants franchise.
For a prospective Hardees franchisee, understanding these affiliations is important for assessing the overall stability and resources of the Hardees organization. While the franchisee will primarily focus on operating their Hardees restaurant, the backing of a larger parent company like GoTo Foods, through Roark Capital Management, could provide a degree of security and access to expertise that might not be available to a standalone franchise system.