Does Nothing Bundt Cakes own any registered patents that are material to the franchise?

According to the 2025 Nothing Bundt Cakes Franchise Disclosure Document, Nothing Bundt Cakes does not own any registered patents or copyrights that are material to the franchise. However, Nothing Bundt Cakes does claim common law copyright and trade secret protection for several aspects of the franchise system. These aspects include proprietary recipes, training procedures, the operations manual, advertising, and business materials. This means that while franchisees are not dealing with formal patents, they are still bound by copyright and trade secret laws regarding the brand's key operational and marketing assets.

Nothing Bundt Cakes retains ownership of any new concepts, processes, or improvements developed by franchisees, their employees, or principals. Franchisees are required to notify Nothing Bundt Cakes of any such developments and provide all necessary related information without compensation. These new developments become the sole property of Nothing Bundt Cakes, including all associated patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. Franchisees must assign any rights they have or acquire in these new concepts to Nothing Bundt Cakes and assist in obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights.

Franchisees also gain access to trade secrets and confidential information during the term of the Franchise Agreement, which they are prohibited from disclosing or using for their own benefit or the benefit of others, both during and after the term of the agreement. This Confidential Information includes proprietary recipes, supplier networks and pricing plans, operating systems, standards and specifications for product and service placement and pricing, marketing mixes, copyrighted materials like the Operations Manual, and other methods and techniques related to the Bakery's operation. Guest information, including names, contact information, purchasing histories, and discounts, also constitutes trade secrets and confidential information. Franchisees must report all required Guest Information into Nothing Bundt Cakes' Guest management database (the "CRM").