HHO Carbon Clean Systems

The vendor opportunity at HHO Carbon Clean Systems

HHO Carbon Clean Systems is a small automotive-services franchise based in Kentucky, with 15 total units as of its 2025 FDD. Of those, 14 are franchised and one is company-owned. The system shrank by -6.7% year-over-year, so the addressable market for software vendors is both compact and contracting. A vendor selling into this brand is looking at a maximum of 14 franchised locations, plus a single corporate unit that may follow the same tech mandates.

The royalty rate is 6.0%, but average unit volume is not disclosed in the FDD. Without AUV, it is difficult to model a location’s ability to pay for software. Vendors should approach with a lean, value-driven proposition that aligns with a cost-conscious operator base.

Who controls software purchasing

Software purchasing authority sits at headquarters. The FDD’s Item 1 names four executives: Jared English, Chief Executive Officer; Dean Owen, Chief Financial Officer; Jeff Brugger, Director of Outside Sales and Strategic Relations; and Terry Bunting, Service and Training Director. In a system this small, the CEO and CFO are the most likely decision-makers for any enterprise-level software commitment. Brugger’s strategic-relations role may also influence vendor introductions, while Bunting could weigh in on tools that affect service delivery or training.

There is no parent company on file; the brand appears independently owned. That means a vendor pitch does not need to navigate a multi-brand corporate hierarchy. The buying center is lean, and a direct conversation with the C-suite is plausible.

Mandated and current tech stack

The 2025 FDD mandates two systems: FranFast and QuickBooks by Intuit Inc. FranFast likely serves as the franchisor’s operational or management platform, while QuickBooks handles accounting. No other POS, CRM, payroll, or marketing systems are named in the disclosure. For a software vendor, this creates a clear map: anything that integrates with or improves upon FranFast and QuickBooks has a natural entry point. Anything that duplicates them faces an uphill battle unless it can demonstrate a compelling replacement case to a small, centralized leadership team.

Because the tech stack is thin on paper, there may be unlisted tools in use at the unit level. However, vendors should assume that any software not mandated by the franchisor must be sold location by location, which is a harder path in a 14-unit system.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

The FDD does not include an Item 8 extract, so the franchisor’s procurement model is not publicly known. It is unclear whether HHO Carbon Clean Systems designates exclusive suppliers, maintains an approved-vendor list, or allows franchisees to purchase freely. Vendors should clarify this early in any conversation with HQ.

Similarly, the FDD does not disclose the initial franchise term or include an Item 17 renewal extract. Without term length or renewal-cycle data, there is no public signal about when franchise agreements come up for renewal—and thus no predictable window when system-wide software reevaluations might occur. A vendor’s best timing strategy is to monitor any public announcements from the brand and to engage HQ directly.

How to read the HHO Carbon Clean Systems FDD

The 2025 FDD is filed with state franchise regulators and is the primary source for the data above. It contains the franchisor’s mandated tech stack, executive roster, unit counts, and financial terms. Because the brand does not disclose AUV or term length, a vendor’s financial modeling will need to rely on external benchmarks or direct discovery. The embedded PDF viewer below provides the full document for your own review.

If you need a ranked target list of franchise systems that match your software’s ideal customer profile, FranCloud can help you prioritize the right brands.