Ben & Jerry's Special Venue Scoop Shop

The system declined from 38 units to 17 units over 3 years (55.3% turnover). What factors contributed to this significant contraction, particularly the 14 closures in 2023?

All 5 closures in the past year were voluntary rather than franchisor-initiated. What were the primary reasons franchisees chose to exit, and how does the franchisor support struggling locations?

With 2 litigation cases currently pending against the franchisor, what are the nature and status of these cases, and could they impact franchise operations or costs?

The franchisor initiated 1 lawsuit during the 3-year period. What was the nature of this case and what was the outcome?

Your royalty rate of 3.0% is significantly lower than the typical 5.0-6.0% range. Is this rate guaranteed for the full contract term, or could it increase upon renewal?

How are the 8 supplier restrictions applied, and do franchisees have flexibility to source alternative equipment or are they locked into franchisor-approved vendors?

Can you provide specific examples of the 9 conditions required for renewal eligibility, and how frequently are franchisees denied renewal?

The renewal fee is $5,000, with renovation/modernization required. Approximately how much capital is typically needed to complete required renovations at renewal?

With only a 5-year initial term (vs. typical 7.75-10.0 years), what protections do franchisees have against early termination, and what are the 13 documented termination causes?

The non-compete clause is 2 years/5 miles. Can franchisees operate in a different franchise concept after exit, or does this restriction apply to all frozen dessert/ice cream venues?

What is the actual number of current special venue locations and their types? How has the mix of venue types (airports, malls, etc.) changed over the past 3 years?

Are there geographic patterns to the closures? Did certain regions or venue types experience higher failure rates than others?

Personal guarantees are required from all owners. If a franchisee entity fails, are personal assets of owners at risk for franchise debt beyond the initial investment?

The Item 19 shows median sales of $463,407 and average of $635,597. How many locations reported this data, and are these figures for full-year operations or annualized estimates?

What support or intervention does the franchisor provide to locations that fall below the median sales figure reported in Item 19?

With the System Health score of 0/100, what specific issues were identified, and what is the franchisor's plan to address them?

The Risk Factors score of 26/100 is significantly below typical (65.0-80.0). What are the primary risk factors that drove this low score?

Are there any pending regulatory investigations or consumer complaints affecting the Ben & Jerry's brand that could impact franchisee operations?

The initial term is shorter than typical, and total potential term is 10 years vs. typical 15-20 years. What was the reasoning for these shorter terms, and would longer terms be negotiable?