What kind of sampling requirements might Jack In The Box impose on suppliers?
Jack_In_The_Box Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The Company requires that suppliers consistently comply with all of the Company's standards, specifications, and contractual expectations. This may include, without limitation, programs, access requirements, third party audit requirements, initial and ongoing sampling requirements and microbiological surveillance programs. We visit and inspect the approved suppliers' facilities on a continuing basis for announced and unannounced inspections, and independently evaluate and test the products the suppliers are producing. Termination of a supplier as an approved supplier occurs by written notice to the supplier. If a supplier is no longer approved, we will notify all approved distributors and may notify individual franchisees. Upon receipt of written notice of a revocation of approval, you must stop selling any unapproved products, and stop buying from the unapproved supplier. The company will determine an appropriate supplier and/or product replacement for you.
If you want to purchase any company-specified item from any source other than an existing approved supplier, you must send us a written request for approval of the proposed supplier. We generally make a determination on the approval of new suppliers within three to six months, although that time frame can vary depending on the circumstances. You may not purchase from any supplier until that supplier has been approved in writing by the Company. In most cases, we require that the Company or its agents be permitted to inspect the supplier's facilities, and that the supplier send samples for evaluation and testing to the Company, or at our option, to a laboratory designated by us. In addition, the Company may evaluate the supplier's adherence to, among other things, food safety, quality, sanitation, environmental, and human rights and animal welfare programs; ability to make a product safely and to specifications; production, storage and delivery capabilities; financial condition; willingness to protect the Company's confidential information; integrity of ownership and management; potential conflicts of interest; and ability to comply with the provisions of our Vendor Code of Conduct.
Certain criteria for supplier approval are managed through the Food Safety department. The time we need to approve or disapprove a supplier varies depending on a number of factors, including the complexity of the product or equipment, and competing business imperatives. When there are already two (2) approved suppliers for an item, the Company can require a fee from the proposed new supplier or the requestor to cover the actual costs and expenses of inspection and approval, including expenses relating to travel, testing, training supplier employees, and coordinating product rollouts. The Company may limit the number of approved suppliers for any given item.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 41–46)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Jack In The Box Franchise Disclosure Document, suppliers must consistently comply with all of Jack In The Box's standards, specifications, and contractual expectations. This includes initial and ongoing sampling requirements. Jack In The Box may also require suppliers to participate in microbiological surveillance programs. To ensure compliance, Jack In The Box conducts both announced and unannounced inspections of the approved suppliers' facilities and independently evaluates and tests the products they produce.
If a franchisee wants to purchase company-specified items from a source other than an existing approved supplier, they must submit a written request for approval. Jack In The Box typically makes a determination on new suppliers within three to six months, although this timeframe can vary. Franchisees cannot purchase from a supplier until the company provides written approval.
As part of the approval process, Jack In The Box generally requires that the company or its agents be permitted to inspect the supplier's facilities. The supplier must also send samples for evaluation and testing to Jack In The Box, or at their option, to a designated laboratory. The company may evaluate the supplier's adherence to food safety, quality, sanitation, environmental, human rights, and animal welfare programs. They also assess the supplier's ability to safely produce products to specifications, their production, storage, and delivery capabilities, financial condition, willingness to protect confidential information, integrity of ownership and management, potential conflicts of interest, and ability to comply with the Vendor Code of Conduct. If there are already two approved suppliers for an item, Jack In The Box can require a fee from the proposed new supplier or the requestor to cover the costs of inspection and approval, including expenses related to travel, testing, training supplier employees, and coordinating product rollouts. Jack In The Box may also limit the number of approved suppliers for any given item.