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A49/100FDD 2025

Chocolate Bash — Litigation & Risk

Food & Beverage - Ice Cream & Desserts · FDD Items 3, 4 & 5

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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
49 / 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
3
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
$1.1M
Avg loan size
$368K
Participating lenders
2

FDD Items 5, 6 & 17 — what you give up

Contract Risk Indicators

Mandatory arbitration
Required
Disputes resolved outside court — limits your legal options
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
California
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there

What drove the 49/100 rating

Risk Score Breakdown

  1. 01MEDNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed — unable to validate revenue/profitability claims
  2. 02MINORRapid unit growth (62.5% YoY) is unsustainable and may indicate aggressive recruiting over franchisee success
  3. 03MINORHigh initial investment range ($202K-$385K) with no transparent ROI benchmarks creates financial risk
  4. 04MINORSmall unit base (16 locations) limits system stability and makes growth rate volatility concerning
  5. 05HIGHGoing concern status suggests potential franchisor financial instability despite growth claims

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.