Is a Marble Slab Creamery franchisee permitted to sublicense the Proprietary Marks or the System?
Marble_Slab_Creamery Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If a franchise for a Non-Traditional Venue / Excluded Venue is offered to Franchisee, Franchisee is not obligated to accept it; however, Franchisee's acceptance of the a right to develop at a Non-Traditional Venue/Excluded Venue will require Franchisee to sign a sublicense agreement without the ability to negotiate any changes with the Host/Authority.
Franchisee must comply with all terms, including for example, the payment of all license fees, construction-related fees, and other fees imposed by the Host/Authority.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 101)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Marble Slab Creamery Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are not granted the authority to sublicense the Proprietary Marks or the System, except under specific conditions related to Non-Traditional Venues/Excluded Venues.
The document states that if Marble Slab Creamery offers a franchise for a Non-Traditional Venue / Excluded Venue to a franchisee, the franchisee is not required to accept it. However, if the franchisee chooses to accept the right to develop at such a venue, they will be required to sign a sublicense agreement. This sublicense agreement comes without the ability to negotiate any changes with the Host/Authority.
This arrangement means that while franchisees generally cannot sublicense the Marble Slab Creamery system, an exception exists for Non-Traditional Venues/Excluded Venues. In these specific cases, a sublicense agreement is necessary, but the franchisee must accept the terms dictated by the Host/Authority without negotiation. This could impact the franchisee's operational control and financial obligations within these venues, as they must adhere to the Host/Authority's requirements, including the payment of license fees and construction-related fees.