Country Style operates in Ontario through a mix of small express kiosks — often set inside gas bars, convenience stores or other retail hosts — and freestanding locations, and which format your unit is shapes the whole resale. A kiosk deal usually runs on a host-location agreement rather than a standalone commercial lease, while a freestanding store follows the more familiar landlord-consent path.
Country Style resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
The offer sets price and terms, conditioned on the franchisor's consent and — for a kiosk — the host location's own agreement to the new operator, alongside the usual financing and inspection conditions.
1–2 weeks†The franchisor reviews the proposed buyer and the deal terms, and may exercise a right of first refusal on the unit before approving an outside purchaser.
3–6 weeks†Whether a franchise disclosure document is required for this resale gets confirmed early, since the statutory resale exemption is read narrowly by Ontario courts.
reviewed alongside consent†Getting to closing
A kiosk unit's agreement with its host retailer, or a freestanding store's commercial lease, needs its own consent — a different process depending on which format the unit is.
2–6 weeks†The incoming operator typically completes the franchisor's training program before the franchise agreement transfers formally.
runs alongside the other steps†Funds, equipment, and the site agreement — whether host agreement or lease — change hands together, with inventory settled at the count.
1 day, once conditions are met†Head office in Richmond Hill, ON; owned by MTY Food Group, which actively recruits franchisees via its official franchise-directory page
Ontario-headquartered coffee/donut chain with numerous express kiosks and freestanding locations, concentrated in Ontario
This is the first real decision in a Country Style resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | The unit's assets — equipment, inventory, the site agreement (host agreement or lease), and the benefit of the existing franchise agreement, subject to consent. | The shares of the operating company — every location it holds, and everything it owes. |
| Seller's liabilities | Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation. | Generally come with the company, known and unknown, across every location it operates. |
| Franchisor consent & ROFR | Required for the specific unit changing hands, often the pacing condition on the whole deal. | Required for the change of control itself — the franchisor reviews who is actually taking over. |
| Site agreement | A kiosk's host agreement needs the host retailer's own consent alongside the franchisor's; a freestanding unit needs landlord consent to assign the lease. | The site agreement generally stays in place, unless it has its own change-of-control clause. |
| Staff (ESA) | Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically apply to how unit staff carry over. | Employment generally continues uninterrupted — the employer doesn't change. |
| Tax angle | Buyer generally gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST s.167 election may apply. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
The unit's assets — equipment, inventory, the site agreement (host agreement or lease), and the benefit of the existing franchise agreement, subject to consent.
The shares of the operating company — every location it holds, and everything it owes.
Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation.
Generally come with the company, known and unknown, across every location it operates.
Required for the specific unit changing hands, often the pacing condition on the whole deal.
Required for the change of control itself — the franchisor reviews who is actually taking over.
A kiosk's host agreement needs the host retailer's own consent alongside the franchisor's; a freestanding unit needs landlord consent to assign the lease.
The site agreement generally stays in place, unless it has its own change-of-control clause.
Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically apply to how unit staff carry over.
Employment generally continues uninterrupted — the employer doesn't change.
Buyer generally gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST s.167 election may apply.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single kiosk or freestanding Country Style location changing hands between one buyer and one seller, with a standard consent process.
Start my file →A multi-unit operator selling several kiosks and freestanding stores as one operating company, or a deal where the host retailer's approval or the franchisor's right of first refusal needs to be worked through before terms are final.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
Yes, meaningfully. A kiosk typically operates under an agreement with the retailer it sits inside, rather than a standalone commercial lease — so instead of landlord consent, you're often dealing with the host retailer's own approval of the new operator, on top of the franchisor's consent.
Often, yes — because the kiosk operates inside their location under a site agreement, most host retailers reserve some right to approve or object to a new operator, which is a step we confirm early since it can run on a different timeline than the franchisor's own approval.
Generally — a freestanding store's value leans more on the commercial lease's remaining term and rent-to-sales ratio, similar to other coffee-and-bakery formats, while a kiosk's value leans more on the host location's foot traffic and the site agreement's remaining term.
That depends on what's owned outright versus leased or financed — coffee and bakery equipment is often financed, so a PPSA search and lien payout at closing are standard parts of the deal regardless of format.
Not directly — the host retailer's consent and the franchisor's disclosure obligations are separate questions. We assess the disclosure exemption based on your specific resale structure, regardless of what the host site's landlord requires.
Related
Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Country Style or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Country Style resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.