What is included in the definition of 'Confidential Information' related to the Southern Steer franchise?
Southern_Steer Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
"Confidential Information" will mean and include all of the business, technology, marketing, operational, and proprietary information developed, created, owned or licensed by the Franchisor including, but not limited to, the following: (a) all plans and specifications relating to the construction of any Southern Steer Business, drawings and renderings, FF&E specifications and pricing, the names of all Approved Suppliers and Designated Suppliers, pricing information for any Foods, Beverages and Products sold to any Southern Steer Business, unpublished menus and menu designs, and all food recipes and cooking techniques, (b) all business information, financial data and information, practices, procedures, processes, "know how" and business and operational systems of the Franchisor, (c) all marketing strategies, programs, and concepts, training programs, Brand Manual and materials, and operational and business development concepts, including but not limited to all store design, schematics, construction documents, and artwork, (d) all exclusive sales and marketing processes taught to the Franchisee's personnel during any training programs, (e) all training programs and materials, (f) all Trade Secrets, intellectual property, proprietary databases, computer processes, computer systems, computer software programs and all source codes for all computer software programs (excluding commercially available off-the-shelf third-party software programs), (g) all copyrighted materials that have not been publicly disclosed by the Franchisor which are marked as "confidential," (h) all patents of the Franchisor, including pending patents, (i) all password-protected websites designed, created and developed by the Franchisor, including all passwords, text, content, color schemes, images, graphics, information, look and feel, layout, methodology, metrics, graphical interfaces and functionality, and (j) all other written materials disclosed to the Franchisee which have been designated as "confidential" by the Franchisor.
Source: Item 22 — ITEM. 22 CONTRACTS (FDD pages 61–168)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Southern Steer's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Confidential Information encompasses a wide array of proprietary assets developed, owned, or licensed by the franchisor. This includes business, technology, marketing, and operational information. For a prospective franchisee, this means that virtually any non-public information related to the Southern Steer business is considered confidential and must be protected.
Specifically, the definition covers construction plans, FF&E specifications, supplier lists, pricing details, unpublished menus, recipes, business and financial data, operational systems, marketing strategies, training programs, and store designs. It also extends to trade secrets, intellectual property, databases, computer systems and software, copyrighted materials, patents, and password-protected websites. This broad definition highlights the importance Southern Steer places on protecting its proprietary information and maintaining a competitive advantage.
Franchisees are responsible for safeguarding this information and ensuring that their employees and agents also adhere to these confidentiality requirements. Unauthorized disclosure or use of confidential information can result in significant penalties and legal repercussions, as it is considered a breach of the franchise agreement. Prospective franchisees should carefully review the confidentiality clauses in the franchise agreement and understand the full scope of their obligations to protect Southern Steer's Confidential Information.