A52/100FDD 2025
Aroma Joe's — Litigation & Risk
Food & Beverage - Coffee & Tea · FDD Items 3, 4 & 5
Lower Risk
No litigation cases disclosed in FDD Items 3 and 4.
Source: FDD Items 3–5
FDD Items 3 & 4
Litigation Metrics
Cases disclosed
0
Total from FDD Items 3 and 4
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
—
Franchisor or officer bankruptcy
Overall risk score
52 / 100
FranchiseVerdict composite
Rating
STRONG
STRONG / MODERATE / CAUTION / AVOID
7(a) FOIA data · FY2020–present
SBA Loan Performance
Aggregated from public SBA 7(a) loan disclosures. Default rate is the share of loans that were charged off or settled for less than the full balance.
Total 7(a) loans
15
Government-backed loans issued
Default rate
0.0%
vs <3% typical · system-wide
5-yr default rate
0.0%
Defaults
0 loans
Loans charged off or defaulted
Total loan volume
$7.2M
Avg loan size
$478K
Participating lenders
10
FDD Items 5, 6 & 17 — what you give up
Contract Risk Indicators
Mandatory arbitration
Required
Disputes resolved outside court — limits your legal options
Jury trial waiver
Waived
You give up the right to a jury trial
Non-compete
1 yrs
Post-termination restriction on similar businesses
Franchisor can compete
Yes
Franchisor can open competing locations in or near your territory
Right of first refusal
Yes
Franchisor can match any purchase offer when you try to sell
Governing law
Maine
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there
What drove the 52/100 rating
Risk Score Breakdown
- 01MINORNo net income disclosure (Item 19) prevents accurate ROI validation despite $947,675 average revenue
- 02MINORUnprotected territory creates direct competition risk and cannibalization within same market
- 03MINORMassive investment range spread ($178,700–$1,825,221) indicates inconsistent unit economics or hidden cost variables
- 04MINORModest 7.1% YoY unit growth suggests slowing momentum in franchise recruitment/retention
- 05MINOR8% royalty on gross sales (not net) penalizes operators during low-margin periods
Severity inferred from FDD text — not a regulatory or legal classification
Litigation data from FDD Items 3, 4, and 5. SBA data from public 7(a) FOIA records (FY2020–present). Not legal advice — consult a franchise attorney before signing any franchise agreement.