85C Bakery Cafe

The vendor opportunity at 85C Bakery Cafe

85C Bakery Cafe operates 88 quick-service restaurant locations in the United States, with a footprint that is overwhelmingly company-owned. Of the total units, 82 are corporate stores and only 6 are franchised, according to the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. This structure fundamentally shapes the software sales opportunity: the addressable market for tools sold to individual franchise operators is negligible. Instead, a vendor’s path to revenue runs through a single, centralized buyer at the brand’s California headquarters.

The system posted 100% year-over-year unit growth, a signal of active expansion and potential greenfield implementations. However, the absolute number of new units remains small relative to larger chains. The initial franchise term is 10 years, and the royalty rate is 6.5% of gross sales. Average unit volume is not disclosed in the most recent FDD.

Who controls software purchasing

The FDD lists five executives in Item 1, providing a clear map of the buying center. Ming Hua Kuo serves as Chief Executive Officer. For a technology vendor, the CEO is the ultimate economic buyer in a system of this size, where major operational tools are likely approved at the top. The business development function is supervised by Keshia Panganiban and Simone Davis, either of whom may serve as a champion or gatekeeper for solutions that promise to improve unit economics or operational efficiency.

On the franchise relations side, Raul Garcia holds the title of Director of Franchise Relations, supported by Multi-Unit Manager Jeffrey Louie. While the franchisee base is tiny, these individuals are the primary points of contact for the few independent operators and would likely be involved in any technology rollout that touches franchised locations.

Mandated and current tech stack

Item 11 of the FDD reveals a hard technology mandate: the point-of-sale system is Clover by Fiserv, Inc., and the specific hardware required is the Clover Mini POS System. This is a critical piece of intelligence for any software vendor. If your product integrates with or depends on the POS, you must be compatible with the Clover ecosystem. If your product competes with or replaces the POS, you face a mandated incumbent and will need to build a compelling displacement case for the CEO and operations leadership.

No other mandated or recommended technology systems are named in the available data. The procurement restrictions from Item 8 were not extracted in our corpus, so it is not possible to confirm from this dataset whether the brand forces purchases through a designated supplier or allows operators to source from approved vendors.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Because the Item 8 procurement signal is absent from our extract, vendors should consult the full FDD directly to determine whether 85C Bakery Cafe uses a designated supplier model, an approved supplier list, or an open purchasing environment. This distinction determines whether you sell to the franchisor’s preferred vendor program or directly to the corporate entity.

The renewal structure offers a potential trigger for technology conversations. Item 17 specifies that a franchisee may renew for a successive term of 5 years, provided they give notice, sign the then-current Successor Franchise Agreement, complete a remodel, and reimburse the franchisor for related expenses. The requirement to sign a new agreement—which may contain different terms than the original—creates a contractual moment when technology mandates can be updated. For a system with 100% unit growth, new store openings represent the most immediate implementation windows.

How to read the 85C Bakery Cafe FDD

The full 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. When reviewing it, focus on Item 11 to confirm the full extent of technology mandates beyond the Clover POS. Cross-reference Item 8 for procurement and sourcing restrictions that will dictate your sales motion. Item 19 may contain financial performance representations that help you build an ROI model, though AUV is not disclosed in the summary data. Finally, Item 1 provides the complete list of executives and their backgrounds, which is essential for mapping the organizational chart before you begin outreach.

For a ranked target list of franchise systems matched to your software category, FranCloud can help you prioritize accounts by tech stack compatibility, decision-maker accessibility, and unit growth trajectory.