Como
Mandatory, Issuer shall provide to us an estimate of the Issuer Expenses and other components of the formula by which the Service Fees are determined for the measurement period just ended. COMO (Loyalty Servic
From the filings
HQ-led decisions
Buff City Soap
Retail non foodSoftware purchasing at Buff City Soap is steered by a C-suite that includes a Chief Technology Officer and Chief Product Officer, signaling centralized technology decisions. The 2025 FDD discloses no mandated technology vendors, leaving the current tech stack largely undefined for outside vendors. With 230 total units—222 of them franchised—and an average unit volume of $584,206, the addressable market for software sales sits around 230 locations, concentrated heavily in Tennessee and the Southeast.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
230
222 franchised
Unit growth YoY
—
vs prior filing
AUV
$584K
Item 19, 2024
Royalty
6%
of gross sales
Ad fund
2%
national + local
Initial fee
—
per unit
Investment range
$395K–$1.28M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing
Ongoing fee load
What the operator pays every month
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
8%of gross sales (FY2025)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
2 of these are mandated in the franchise agreement. Each is named in Item 11 of the filing, the incumbents a challenger must displace or integrate with.
QuickBooks
Mandatoryities. This application allows end users to view Makery event availability and manage bookings online. The fee for Appointedd is payable to us and passed through to the vendor. 10 QB\96112008.5 Type o
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
25 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 4 explicit no's; 5 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
We have independent access to the information generated and stored on the Technologies.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee will deliver to Franchisor any financial data, tax statements or other financial reports that Franchisor may reasonably periodically request, in the form, manner, and frequency requested.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
In our fiscal year ended December 29, 2024, franchisees paid our affiliate, BCS Supply, $41,753,798.37 for inventory and supplies.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
We did not receive any revenue from required purchases or leases of goods or services by franchisees during our fiscal year ended December 29, 2024.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
We or our affiliates may derive revenue or other benefits based on your purchases and leases, including from charging you for products and services we or our affiliates provide to you and from promotional allowances, volume discounts, and other payments made to us by suppliers and/or distributors that we designate or…
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?
95Item 8
Your required purchases will represent approximately 90-100% of your total opening expenses (excluding the cost of real estate and improvements) and approximately 95% of your continuing required purchases and leases.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 8
We reserve the right to invoice you for our out-of-pocket costs and expenses we incur for any inspection or testing.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesFranchise agreement
If Franchisee seeks approval of any new supplier of Operating Assets, Products, raw materials or component ingredients not designated by Franchisor pursuant to Section 7(d) or approval to use new Operating Assets, Technology System or Products, Franchisee will provide Notice to Franchisor and such information…
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee will notify the telephone company and all telephone directory publishers of the expiration or termination of Franchisee’s right to use any telephone, telecopy, or other numbers and any telephone directory listings associated with any Mark, authorize the transfer of such numbers and directory listings to…
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must comply with the PCI DSS as they may be revised and modified by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, or any successor or replacement organization and/or in accordance with other standards Franchisor may specify, and FACTA.
Franchise management
Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee will participate in all customer surveys and satisfaction audits as Franchisor may require from time to time, which may require Franchisee to provide discounted or complimentary Products.
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
We will conduct periodic field evaluations and quality assurance inspections of BCS Makery to test and promote its compliance with System Standards and quality controls.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesFranchise agreement
No site may be used for the location of the Makery unless it is first accepted by Franchisor.
Marketing
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 11
You must timely execute your Market Introduction plan, once approved by us.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 6
You must also spend at least 1% of Net Sales on Local Marketing Expenditures.
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must, at Franchisee’s expense, participate in, and comply with the requirements of, any gift certificate, gift card, stored value card, customer loyalty, or customer retention program (e.g. customer e-mail program) that Franchisor or its Affiliates implement for all or part of the System
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must purchase the Operating Assets, Technology System and Products (including raw materials and component ingredients required to manufacture the Products) from Franchisor’s Designated Suppliers as set forth in the Manuals.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
As of the issuance date of this disclosure document, you must purchase all equipment, furnishings, fixtures, supplies, packaging, computer hardware and software, and signage from vendors of whom we approve and who meet our specifications.
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must maintain credit card relationships with such credit and debit card issuers or sponsors check or credit verification services, financial center services, and/or electronic funds transfer systems in connection with the operation of the Makery and refrain from using any services or providers that…
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
Upon execution of this Agreement and at any time thereafter as Franchisor may require, Franchisee must sign the electronic transfer of funds authorization attached to this Agreement as Exhibit E, and all other documents and instruments necessary to permit Franchisor to withdraw by electronic funds transfer from…
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesItem 11
We require that you must always have a trained manager in the BCS Makery and/or be in the process of having a manager trained.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee will purchase, use and maintain the POS System that Franchisor requires or otherwise approves in writing for the operation of the Makery.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We have independent access to the information generated and stored on the Technologies.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 6
We currently charge $500 per day per trainer plus the trainer’s travel expenses for additional training.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 11
You and your Operator must attend our Annual Conference if we hold one.
The filing answers no to 4 questions
- Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?Franchise agreement
- Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?Item 11
- Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?Franchise agreement
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
The vendor opportunity at Buff City Soap
Buff City Soap operates 230 locations, 222 of which are franchised, with an average unit volume of $584,206. The system is young and concentrated: 601 operator-location mappings sit in Tennessee alone, with Kentucky (235), Missouri (178), North Carolina (172), and Indiana (164) rounding out the top five states. For a software vendor, the immediate addressable market is those 230 units, but the operator footprint reveals a multi-unit dynamic—162 of 234 mapped operators control more than one location, and 28 operators run 25 or more units. That multi-unit density means a single HQ or lead-operator sale can unlock a cluster of locations.
The brand is independently owned, with no parent company on file, and the C-suite listed in Item 1 of the 2025 FDD includes a Chief Technology Officer and a Chief Product Officer. That structure typically concentrates software evaluation and purchasing authority at headquarters, rather than leaving it to individual franchisees.
Who controls software purchasing
The 2025 FDD names Enrique Ramirez (CEO and President), Ahmer Sawani (CFO), Mindi Coday (Chief Merchandising Officer), Steve Williams (Chief Technology Officer), and Shellie Caudill (Chief Product Officer). For a software vendor, the most direct entry points are Williams and Caudill. Williams, as CTO, likely owns infrastructure, security, and enterprise-system decisions. Caudill, as Chief Product Officer, likely influences any technology that touches the in-store experience, product formulation, or customer-facing digital tools. The CFO, Sawani, will weigh in on any contract with a material recurring cost. This is a classic HQ-driven buying center: pitch the technology leadership, and expect finance to scrutinize the ROI.
Mandated and current tech stack
The 2025 FDD does not name any mandated technology systems or vendors. There is no Item 11 list of required POS, back-office, inventory, or marketing platforms. The only technology obligation appears in the renewal terms: at the end of the initial 10-year term and again at the end of the first 5-year renewal, franchisees must “install our current point-of-sale system and other technology hardware and software.” That implies a centrally selected POS exists and is updated periodically, but the vendor is not disclosed. For a software seller, this is both a gap and an opening—there is no entrenched, publicly named competitor, but you will need to discover the incumbent during discovery calls.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Item 8 of the FDD provides no extract on procurement, so the supply-chain model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier, or open—is not publicly known. The renewal terms in Item 17, however, create a predictable technology refresh cycle. The initial franchise term is 10 years. Renewal adds 5 years, contingent on several conditions: the franchisee must not be in default, must sign the then-current franchise agreement, must execute a general release, and must upgrade the Makery to current entry standards, equipment, and the current POS and technology stack. The renewal fee is 50% of the then-current initial franchise fee. Because the renewal agreement may contain “materially different terms, conditions and fees,” each renewal window is a potential re-evaluation point for software vendors. With 222 franchised locations and a 10-year initial term, the first wave of renewals will begin roughly a decade after the system’s early growth phase, creating a rolling opportunity as units mature.
How to read the Buff City Soap FDD
The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is the authoritative source for the numbers and obligations cited here. Item 1 lists the executives who control strategy and purchasing. Item 8 would normally detail procurement restrictions, though none were captured in this extract. Item 11 would list mandated technology, also absent here. Item 17 lays out the renewal conditions that force technology upgrades. The operator footprint—234 mapped operators across roughly 2,214 located units—comes from aggregate disclosure data and reveals the multi-unit ownership structure that shapes how software gets bought and deployed. For vendors, the FDD is a map of the decision-making architecture, not just a legal filing.
If you sell software into franchise systems, understanding who buys and when they are forced to rebuy is the whole game. FranCloud can help you build a ranked target list from data like this.
Questions vendors ask
Buff City Soap, answered from the filing
Technology decisions likely involve Steve Williams (Chief Technology Officer) and Shellie Caudill (Chief Product Officer), as listed in the 2025 FDD.
The 2025 FDD does not name any mandated POS, operational, or technology systems. Franchisees must upgrade to the current POS at renewal.
230 total units: 222 franchised and 8 company-owned, with the heaviest concentration in Tennessee (601 operator-location mappings).
The 2025 FDD does not disclose a designated supplier or approved-supplier procurement model in the Item 8 extract provided.
Renewal terms run 5 years after the initial 10-year term, requiring a POS and technology upgrade at renewal, creating a predictable refresh cycle.
The 2025 FDD is filed with state franchise regulators. You can view it directly in the embedded PDF viewer on this page.
Source
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FDD alert
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Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
402 operators run 2,382 mapped locations. 162 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit240
2–9 units92
10–24 units42
25+ units28
Top states by locations
| TN | 627 |
|---|---|
| KY | 252 |
| MO | 186 |
| NC | 180 |
| IN | 169 |
Ownership
The portfolio behind Buff City Soap
single_brand_holdco of Buff City Soap.
Related Retail non food brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.