From the filings

HQ-led decisions

HHO Carbon Clean Systems

Automotive services

Software purchasing at HHO Carbon Clean Systems is controlled from its Kentucky headquarters, where a small executive team oversees 14 franchised locations. The franchisor mandates FranFast and QuickBooks by Intuit Inc., creating a defined starting point for vendors offering complementary or replacement tools. With only 15 total units and a recent contraction of -6.7%, the addressable market is narrow but may reward a tightly targeted pitch.

For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.

Live signals

Total units
15
14 franchised
Unit growth YoY
-6.667%
vs prior filing
AUV
Item 19, 2025
Royalty
6%
of gross sales
Ad fund
2%
national + local
Initial fee
$45K
per unit
Investment range
$108K–$185K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
No 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)

Ongoing fees: 8% of gross sales (FY2025)Royalty 6%, Ad fund 2%. Total 8% of gross sales. Drawn against a 15% reference scale.

15% reference

Royalty 6%Ad fund 2%

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.

FranFastFranFast
Mandatory
CrmItem 8

t, our social media platforms, vendors and marketing channels. 3. Business Management System and Computer Equipment – Currently you are required to purchase, license and utilize a FranFast CRM and Bus

QuickBooksIntuit
Mandatory
AccountingItem 8

Computer Equipment – Currently you are required to purchase, license and utilize a FranFast CRM and Business Management System. You will also be required to use Google Workspace, Quickbooks, and any

Franchisor behaviours

What the franchisor requires

28 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 2 explicit no's; 4 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?

Yes

Item 11

You must use the computer systems and Business Management System that we designate.

Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?

Yes

Franchise agreement

At all times, Franchisee shall provide and permit Franchisor to maintain direct and independent access to the Business Management System and the Business Management System Data and to duplicate and evaluate the data;

Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

within 30 days of the end of each calendar month Franchisee shall submit to Franchisor monthly financial statements and other reports related to the operations of the Franchised business

How the franchisor buys

Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?

Yes

Item 8

Currently, our affiliate HHO Carbon Clean Systems, LLC is the designated supplier of the Service Vehicle Initial Equipment Package and the installation of this equipment, as well as the carbon cleaning machine used in the operations of the Franchised Business.

Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?

Yes

Item 8

We may designate a supplier (which may include us or our affiliates) as the exclusive supplier for the System.

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?

25

Item 8

approximately 25% of the on-going operating expenses of the Franchised Business.

Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?

Yes

Item 8

We may charge you a supplier review and testing fee and we may request that you send us samples from the supplier for testing and documentation from the supplier for evaluation.

Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?

Yes

Item 8

If you want to purchase or lease a source restricted item from a supplier that has not been previously approved or designated by us in writing, you must send us a written request for approval and submit additional information that we may request.

Communications

Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?

Yes

Franchise agreement

All rights in and to telephone numbers associated with the Franchised Business, shall, at Franchisor’s election, be transferred to Franchisor.

Franchise management

Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?

Yes

Franchise agreement

cooperate with representatives of Franchisor making any inspection and permit such representatives of Franchisor to take photographs, videos, and/or recordings of the Franchised Business, operations of the Franchised Business, interview employees and customers of the Franchised Business, conduct secret- shopper…

Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?

Yes

Item 11

At all times, we reserve the right to supplement, modify and update the Manuals.

Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee must obtain Franchisor’s written approval of the location of Franchisee’s Administrative Office.

Marketing

Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee shall not utilize, access or open accounts regarding or related to Digital Media unless expressly approved by Franchisor in writing which approval Franchisor may withhold, condition, limit, modify, or withdraw as determined by Franchisor in Franchisor’s Reasonable Business Judgment

Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Not less than 30 days prior to the opening of the Franchised Business and during the initial three month period following the Actual Opening Date, Franchisee shall spend not less than $3,000 to market and promote the grand opening of the Franchised Business in accordance with Franchisor’s standards and specifications;

Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?

Yes

Franchise agreement

On an on-going monthly basis, Franchisee must spend not less than the greater of: (a) 2% of Franchisee’s monthly Gross Sales; or (b) $500 per month plus an $500 per month for each Additional Territory on the local marketing of the Franchised Business within and/or targeted to Franchisee’s Operating Territory (the…

Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?

Yes

Item 8

Online Ordering and Customer Rewards – You must use our designated supplier and vendor for the ability to access and use online, point of sale integrated, web based, and/or app based, ordering, and customer rewards.

Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?

Yes

Item 11

If we elect to form a local or regional cooperative or if a cooperative already exists as to the area of your HHO Carbon Clean Systems Business, you will be required to participate in the cooperative in accordance with the provisions of our operations manual which we may supplement and modify from time to time.

Operations

Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?

Yes

Item 8

You must purchase the System Supplies, as designated by us, from us, our affiliates, and/or our designated suppliers.

Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?

Yes

Item 8

You may only offer and sell the Approved Services and Products that we designate and you may only use those products, supplies, equipment, technology systems, and services that we authorize and designate in writing.

Payments

Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 8

You must use our designated supplier and vendor for credit card processing which may be integrated with the point of sale system that we designate.

Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?

Yes

Item 6

You must install and use, at your expense, the pre-authorized payment, point of sale, credit card processing, automatic payment, automated banking, electronic debit and/or electronic funds transfer systems that we designate and require in the operation of your HHO Carbon Clean Systems Business.

People

Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?

Yes

Item 15

The Franchise Agreement requires that you or, if you are a Corporate Entity, that your managing shareholder or partner be personally responsible for the daily management and supervision of the Franchised Business (the “Managing Owner”).

Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 11

For the protection of the System, you must ensure that all employees wear and maintain the proper uniforms with our approved System branded apparel and uniforms including, but not limited to, the apparel and uniforms comprising System Supplies.

Point of sale

Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

exclusively purchase and use equipment, supplies, promotional materials, point of sale systems and Business Management Systems designated by Franchisor

Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?

Yes

Franchise agreement

At all times, Franchisor shall possess direct live access and storage based access to the Business Management System for the Franchised Business and to Franchisee’s Business Management System Data.

Sales and CRM

Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 8

Currently you are required to purchase, license and utilize a FranFast CRM and Business Management System.

Training

Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisor reserves the right to assess Franchisee reasonable charges for such training.

Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?

Yes

Item 6

If we offer a franchisee annual conference in a given year you will be required to attend the conference on the dates and at the location that we designate.

The filing answers no to 2 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

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.

Questions vendors ask

HHO Carbon Clean Systems, answered from the filing

The FDD lists Jared English (CEO), Dean Owen (CFO), Jeff Brugger (Director of Outside Sales and Strategic Relations), and Terry Bunting (Service and Training Director). A vendor pitch likely needs CFO or CEO buy-in.
The 2025 FDD mandates FranFast and QuickBooks by Intuit Inc. No other operational or POS systems are named in the disclosure.
15 total units: 14 franchised and 1 company-owned. The brand contracted by -6.7% year-over-year, so the footprint is small and currently shrinking.
The FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, so whether the franchisor designates suppliers, maintains an approved list, or allows open purchasing is not publicly disclosed.
The FDD does not disclose initial term length or Item 17 renewal signals. Without term or renewal data, predictable contract windows cannot be identified from the public filing.
The 2025 FDD is filed with state franchise regulators. You can view the full document in the embedded PDF viewer below.
Source

Read the filing itself

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HHO Carbon Clean Systems2025 FDDView only

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The brands you can actually sell into, from the filings.

Operator footprint

Who runs the locations

19 operators run 19 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.

Operators by units owned

Single-unit19

Top states by locations

TX3
GA2
KY2
MO1
MI1

Related Automotive services brands

Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.