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D72/100FDD 2025
Belle Journée Bakery — Litigation & Risk
Food & Beverage - Bakery · 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
72 / 100
FranchiseVerdict composite
Rating
CAUTION
STRONG / MODERATE / CAUTION / AVOID
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
2 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
New Jersey
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there
What drove the 72/100 rating
Risk Score Breakdown
- 01MEDOnly 2 units in system indicates minimal scale, limited growth track record, and weak franchisor support infrastructure
- 02MEDNo Item 19 financial disclosure (Avg Revenue and Net Income not disclosed) prevents validation of $349,500–$900,000 investment ROI
- 03HIGHGoing Concern = False signals potential franchisor financial distress or operational instability
- 04MINORWide investment range ($550,500 spread) suggests unpredictable costs and unclear unit economics
- 05MED6% royalty on undisclosed revenue base makes actual fee burden impossible to assess
- 06MINOR10-year term is lengthy commitment with no visibility into franchisor viability or unit profitability
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.