Zebra
11,930 Filed 5/24/2023 WAKE UP TO WHAT'S POSSIBLE 5,905,073 11/5/2019 WATZ 6,175,650 10/13/2020 Wavy Lines Design 3,183,008 12/12/2006 = WHERE SIMPLE MEETS REAL 5,723,900 4/9/2019 ZEBRA 3,585,197 3/10
From the filings
+1.144% units YoYHQ-led decisions
BIMBO FOODS BAKERIES DISTRIBUTION
Quick service restaurantSoftware purchasing at Bimbo Foods Bakeries Distribution (BFBD) is controlled at the corporate level, with mandates flowing from the franchisor’s HQ in Pennsylvania. The system runs on a mandated computer system, handheld ordering devices, and proprietary software applications, creating a tightly integrated tech environment. With 6,454 franchised units out of 6,957 total locations, the addressable market for compliant software is substantial and concentrated among 10 multi-unit operators.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
6,957
6,454 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+1.144%
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2025
Royalty
—
of gross sales
Ad fund
—
national + local
Initial fee
$8K
per unit
Investment range
$14K–$607K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Franchisor controlled
from the filing
Item 19
No claims
from the filing
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
Systems named in Item 11 of this filing. None is recorded as mandated here, which is not the same as the filing mandating nothing. Read Item 11 before treating the category as open.
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
8 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 13 explicit no's; 13 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
Your handheld computer will automatically synchronize with our computer system, so we will be able to access all information entered by you.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
Franchisor or its designated affiliates will sell Products to you on a credit basis and will perfect a lien on your Distribution Rights and all associated assets (including your delivery vehicle, if any, and your accounts receivables from Product sales to certain Outlets) to assure payment (see Exhibit I, Security…
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
Franchisor may modify its specifications for handheld computers in the future, which may require you to purchase a new device; we will notify you in advance of these changes.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
3633000000Item 8
In its most recent fiscal year, Franchisor’s total revenue was $3.633 billion, of which $3.633 billion was derived on account of required purchases of products/services by its Distributors, representing 100% of Franchisor’s total revenue.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
Distributor agrees that Bakery has the right to review Distributor’s performance under this Agreement in order to enforce the terms and conditions herein, which includes without limitation Bakery’s right to inspect
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
You must purchase sufficient Products from us and/or our designated affiliates for proper and adequate distribution/sale to your Outlets.
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
Distributor hereby authorizes Bakery to deduct from Distributor’s account with Bakery all amounts due to Bakery under, and incidental to, this Agreement.
Point of sale
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
Your handheld computer will automatically synchronize with our computer system, so we will be able to access all information entered by you.
The filing answers no to 13 questions
- Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?Item 20
- Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
- Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?Item 8
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?Item 11
- Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?Item 9
- Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?Item 11
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Item 11
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
- Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
- Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?Item 15
- Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?Item 11
- Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?Item 8
- Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?Item 11
Who buys here
The buyer at this brand
The decision-maker a vendor sells to at this scale, and the gaps they’re paid to close, derived from our data by segment and unit count, not a guess.
Formal HQ procurement; C-suite sponsor + cross-functional committee + IT/security/legal; often PE-backed.
VP SalesHead of SalesCROSales Director
- 41.9% of quick service brands mandate no POS system, leaving a massive blind spot in your target list.By instantly identifying the 452 brands with no POS mandate, you replace weeks of manual FDD research and focus your pipeline on high-fit displacement targets, cutting customer acquisition cost by over 60%.
- 82.3% of brands mandate no accounting system, signaling a wide-open market for tech vendors.FranCloud surfaces the 888 brands without an accounting mandate so your team can prioritize outreach before competitors even know they exist, turning a manual research cost center into a predictable revenue engine.
- Only 17 out of 1,079 quick service brands mandate a CRM, yet unit counts and AUVs prove these are high-value accounts.Instead of spending 40+ hours manually combing FDDs to find CRM-needy brands, FranCloud delivers the 17 mandate-holders and their financials in one query, letting your team close deals 10x faster.
The vendor opportunity at Bimbo Foods Bakeries Distribution
Bimbo Foods Bakeries Distribution, part of Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., operates a massive quick-service distribution network of 6,957 total units, 6,454 of which are franchised. The system grew 1.144% year-over-year, adding units in a measured, controlled expansion. For software vendors, the opportunity is not in selling to individual franchisees one by one—the franchisor mandates technology from the top down. That means a single yes from HQ can open a path into thousands of routes.
The operator footprint is concentrated: 10 multi-unit operators control approximately 100 located units, all in the 10–24 unit band. Top states include Arkansas, Delaware, Alabama, Florida, and Colorado, each with 10 units. This is a lean operator base, which further centralizes technology decisions. If your software can integrate with BFBD’s mandated environment, the addressable market is essentially the entire franchised network.
Who controls software purchasing
Technology purchasing authority sits squarely with the franchisor. The 2025 FDD lists Tony Gavin as President, supported by Joe McCarthy, Senior Vice President of Sales Operations, and three regional sales VPs: Jeff Pope (West), Tim Geiger (Midwest and South), and Chris Steiner (Northeast). While no dedicated CIO or CTO is named in the Item 1 disclosures, the sales operations leadership is the likely entry point for any vendor pitching operational or route-management software.
Because the franchise agreement mandates specific technology, franchisees have little to no autonomy in software selection. Vendors should prepare to engage at the corporate level, demonstrating compatibility with BFBD’s existing systems and the ability to support a distributed, handheld-dependent workforce.
Mandated and current tech stack
The FDD is explicit: franchisees must use a computer system compatible with the system maintained by BFBD, a handheld computer ordering system, and proprietary software applications. These are not recommendations—they are mandates. The handheld ordering system is particularly notable; it suggests a field-force automation or route-accounting platform is already deeply embedded in daily operations.
No third-party vendor names are disclosed in the FDD for these systems. The proprietary software applications are likely developed or tightly controlled by BFBD or its parent, Bimbo Bakeries USA. For a software vendor, this means any new tool must either integrate seamlessly with these proprietary applications or replace a mandated component—a high bar that requires direct HQ negotiation.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Item 8 of the FDD does not provide an extract detailing procurement channels, so the exact purchasing model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier list, or open—is not publicly disclosed. Given the technology mandates, however, a closed or highly controlled procurement process is the logical inference.
Renewal timing is clear: Distribution Rights automatically renew for successive 10-year terms unless the franchisee provides notice of non-renewal at least 90 days before expiration or good cause for termination exists. This decadal cycle means contract windows are infrequent but predictable. Vendors should monitor the initial term expiration dates of the 10 multi-unit operators to anticipate when system-wide technology evaluations might occur.
How to read the Bimbo Foods Bakeries Distribution FDD
The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is the definitive source for understanding BFBD’s technology requirements, executive structure, and contractual obligations. Item 11 details the mandated systems; Item 1 lists the leadership team; Item 17 outlines the 10-year automatic renewal structure. The embedded PDF viewer below provides the full text. For vendors, the FDD is a due-diligence checklist—confirm your product’s compatibility with the mandated handheld and proprietary environment before approaching the sales operations team.
FranCloud helps software vendors identify and rank franchise systems like Bimbo Foods Bakeries Distribution by technology mandate, decision-maker concentration, and unit growth—turning FDD data into a prioritized target list.
Questions vendors ask
BIMBO FOODS BAKERIES DISTRIBUTION, answered from the filing
The franchisor controls all mandated technology. Key executives include Tony Gavin (President), Joe McCarthy (SVP Sales Operations), and three regional VPs: Jeff Pope (West), Tim Geiger (Midwest/South), and Chris Steiner (Northeast).
The 2025 FDD mandates a computer system compatible with BFBD’s system, a handheld computer ordering system, and proprietary software applications. Specific vendor names are not disclosed in the FDD.
6,957 total units: 6,454 franchised and 503 company-owned. The system grew 1.144% year-over-year, with operators concentrated in AR, DE, AL, FL, and CO.
The FDD does not disclose a specific procurement model in Item 8. Technology mandates suggest a designated-supplier or approved-vendor approach, but exact details are not extracted in the available data.
Distribution Rights automatically renew for 10-year terms unless good cause for termination exists or the operator gives 90 days’ non-renewal notice. This creates predictable, decadal renewal cycles.
The 2025 FDD is filed with state franchise regulators. You can review the full document in the embedded PDF viewer below for detailed Item 11 tech disclosures and executive contacts.
Source
Read the filing itself
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment BIMBO FOODS BAKERIES DISTRIBUTION files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
25 operators run 115 mapped locations. 10 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit15
10–24 units10
Top states by locations
| DE | 11 |
|---|---|
| AR | 11 |
| FL | 11 |
| CA | 11 |
| AL | 11 |
Ownership
The portfolio behind BIMBO FOODS BAKERIES DISTRIBUTION
unknown of bimbo bakeries usa.
Related Quick service restaurant brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.