From the filings
Software purchasing at Aldea is controlled at the headquarters level, given the franchisor’s direct mandate of Shopify across its system. With only 2 company-owned locations and no franchised units disclosed, the addressable market is extremely small. Vendors evaluating Aldea should understand the centralized tech mandate and the 10-year initial term with a 5-year renewal window.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
5% component; full terms unconfirmed
Complete royalty terms are not confirmed for the selected filing.
These are recorded percentage components. Each has its own base and conditions; the chart does not state the total payment or confirm ad-fund completeness.
1recorded components (FY2024)
15% reference
Franchisor behaviours
27 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 4 explicit no's; 3 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
You must purchase or lease the computer hardware and software, dedicated telephone and power lines, modems, printers, and other computer-related accessories or peripheral equipment that we approve, according to our specifications.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We may retrieve all data and information from your computer system and there are no contractual limitations on our right to do so.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall, at its expense, provide Franchisor with a monthly statement on the 10th day of each month of each year of the Term, on electronic forms prescribed by Franchisor, accurately reporting all revenue and expense activity during the preceding calendar month and the other data and information regarding…
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We and the Operating Company may sell certain supplies, merchandise and other materials to you and our other franchisees.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
We may revoke a supplier’s approval for failure to comply with our requirements and specifications.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, we did not derive any revenues from franchisees’ purchases of products or services because we are a start-up franchisor.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee acknowledges and agrees that Franchisor, and its Affiliates, may negotiate purchase arrangements with suppliers for Franchisee’s benefit and may derive revenue or obtain rebates, bulk pricing discounts or allowances for their own account from approved or designated suppliers if rebates or other…
Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?
80Item 8
We estimate that approximately 80% of your expenditures for leases and purchases in establishing your Aldea Store and approximately 80% on an ongoing basis will be for goods and services for which suppliers must be approved by us, or which must meet our standards or specifications.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 6
New Supplier Up to $1,000 per supplier As incurred with If you propose to purchase any products Testing Fees the deposit payable from a supplier that we have not before inspection. previously approved, we have the right to inspect the supplier’s facilities and products and you must reimburse us for costs to do so.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you desire to purchase merchandise or services from a supplier other than us or an Aldea Approved Supplier, you must submit a request to us in writing and obtain our prior written approval.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesItem 17
We may, at our option, assume all telephone numbers for your Aldea Store.
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall at all times be compliant with (i) the NACHA ACH Security Framework; (ii) the Payment Rules; (iii) Applicable Law regarding data privacy, data security and security breaches; and (iv) Franchisor’s security policies and guidelines, all as may be adopted and/or amended from time to time (collectively…
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor’s authorized representatives shall have the right, but not the obligation, from time to time, to enter the Aldea Store during business hours, to examine the Aldea Store, to confer with Franchisee’s supervisorial and managerial personnel, inspect and check operations, furnishings, interior and exterior…
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 11
We may, from time to time, update or change the Manuals in our sole discretion.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
You cannot open your Aldea Store at the Franchised Location for business until you receive our written authorization, which may be subject to our satisfactory inspection of your Aldea Store at the Franchised Location.
Marketing
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 11
Each month, you must spend at least $1,500 on local advertising and promotion.
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall fully participate in all guest loyalty or frequent customer programs now or in the future adopted or approved by Franchisor.
Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must participate in and contribute to the cooperative according to rules and procedures determined by a majority of its members.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
All “Aldea Branded Products” we designate for use and sale at your Aldea Store must be purchased from Aldea Approved Suppliers.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
You must purchase these items from Aldea Approved Suppliers.
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 6
You authorize us to debit from your designated primary business checking or savings operating account all funds due and payable to us for Royalty Fees and other sums that you owe to us or our affiliates.
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall participate in all gift certificate and/or gift card administration programs as may be designated by Franchisor from time to time.
People
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall cause all employees, while working in the Aldea Store, to: (i) wear uniforms of the color, design and other specifications as Franchisor may designate from time to time;
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall purchase, use and maintain a computerized point of sale cash collection system (the “POS System”), a back office computer and printer, including all related hardware and software, cameras and a DVR, and a sound system, each as specified in the Manuals or otherwise by Franchisor in writing for the…
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We may retrieve all data and information from your computer system and there are no contractual limitations on our right to do so.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
If we determine it to be necessary, we may provide you or your supervisorial or managerial employees with Additional Training Programs.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 11
Your Principal Owner and General Managers must attend the Annual Franchise Conference.
Aldea operates in the specialty retail segment with a total of 2 units, both company-owned. The franchisor has not disclosed any franchised locations in the 2024 FDD, making the current addressable market for software vendors just 2 locations. No average unit volume (AUV) is reported, and year-over-year unit growth is not available. For a software vendor, the opportunity is narrow and concentrated at the headquarters level.
Software purchasing at Aldea is centralized at HQ. The FDD does not list any executives by name in Item 1, so specific decision-maker titles are unknown. However, the fact that Shopify is mandated across all locations signals that technology decisions are made by franchisor leadership rather than individual operators. Vendors should direct their outreach to Aldea’s corporate office, focusing on the owner or general manager as the likely buyer.
The 2024 FDD explicitly mandates Shopify as the operational platform for Aldea locations. No other mandated or recommended technology systems are disclosed. This means the core commerce stack is locked in, but adjacent categories—such as scheduling, CRM, payroll, or marketing automation—may still be open. Vendors in those spaces should confirm whether Aldea uses any preferred or designated suppliers outside the FDD’s scope.
Aldea’s FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, so the formal supplier approval process is not publicly defined. Renewal terms, however, are spelled out in Item 17: franchisees seeking renewal must have complied with all obligations, sign the then-current Franchise Agreement (which may differ materially from the original), pay a renewal fee, and execute a General Release Agreement. The renewal term is 5 years. With no recent unit growth and a small footprint, contract windows are likely infrequent and tied to the initial 10-year term cycle.
The 2024 Aldea FDD is embedded below for full review. Key sections for software vendors include Item 11 (mandated tech), Item 8 (procurement restrictions), and Item 17 (renewal conditions). Because Aldea’s system is small and centrally controlled, the FDD provides a direct view into the franchisor’s operational mandates without the noise of a large franchisee network. For a ranked target list of franchise systems that match your software category, FranCloud can help you prioritize based on tech mandates, unit counts, and decision-maker signals.
Complete royalty terms are not confirmed.
Questions vendors ask
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Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Read the original filing for definitions, conditions, and qualifications.