Presotea is actively recruiting new franchise partners in Ontario at the same time existing locations are changing hands across a genuinely province-wide footprint — from Toronto and the GTA out to Ottawa and Windsor. That overlap matters upfront: before you get attached to an opportunity, it's worth confirming whether you're being offered a true resale of an existing store or a new-development opportunity, since the legal path for each is different.
Presotea resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
Price and terms, conditioned on franchisor consent and confirming upfront whether the opportunity is an existing-store resale or new development.
1–2 weeks†Presotea's franchise team reviews the incoming buyer and can exercise its right of first refusal instead of letting the resale proceed as negotiated.
several weeks, typically†A franchise disclosure document may still be required for this resale — Ontario courts read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, so franchisor involvement in the sale can trigger it even where it's called a private deal.
assessed early†Getting to closing
A mall, plaza, or street-front premises agreement needs the landlord's written consent to assign — negotiated locally whether the location is in the GTA, Ottawa, or Windsor.
2–6 weeks†The incoming owner typically completes Presotea's drink-preparation and recipe training before the transfer is finalized.
before or shortly after closing†Funds, keys, and signed documents change hands, alongside a count of perishable tea and topping inventory.
1 day, once conditions are met†Official presotea.ca franchise page states the brand is 'looking for new franchise partners, especially for Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec areas' with an existing base of Canadian stores
Existing Ontario stores in Toronto, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Markham, Etobicoke, Ottawa and Windsor
This is the first real decision in a Presotea 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 brewing and sealing equipment, refrigeration, leasehold improvements, inventory, and the benefit of the existing franchise agreement, subject to consent. | The shares of the operating company — the 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. |
| Franchisor consent & ROFR | Required for this specific unit, and typically the pacing condition on the deal. | Required for the change of control itself — the franchisor reviews who is actually taking over. |
| The premises | Negotiated locally with the landlord even though the franchisor is the same across the province — a Windsor or Ottawa lease review isn't the same conversation as a downtown Toronto one. | Usually stays in place unless the agreement carries its own change-of-control clause. |
| Tax angle | Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
| Typical use | The default for a single storefront or kiosk changing hands anywhere in the province. | Less common — occasionally used where an operator holds several units under one company. |
The unit's brewing and sealing equipment, refrigeration, leasehold improvements, inventory, and the benefit of the existing franchise agreement, subject to consent.
The shares of the operating company — the location it holds, and everything it owes.
Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation.
Generally come with the company, known and unknown.
Required for this specific unit, and typically the pacing condition on the deal.
Required for the change of control itself — the franchisor reviews who is actually taking over.
Negotiated locally with the landlord even though the franchisor is the same across the province — a Windsor or Ottawa lease review isn't the same conversation as a downtown Toronto one.
Usually stays in place unless the agreement carries its own change-of-control clause.
Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
The default for a single storefront or kiosk changing hands anywhere in the province.
Less common — occasionally used where an operator holds several units under one company.
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 existing Presotea storefront confirmed as a genuine resale, changing hands with a standard premises agreement, anywhere in the province.
Start my file →Confirming resale-versus-new-development status before committing, or a multi-location operator spanning more than one Ontario city.
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.
We start by getting the franchisor's own confirmation of the location's status in writing, rather than relying on how a listing describes itself — Presotea is actively recruiting for new Ontario locations at the same time existing ones are reselling, so this distinction matters more here than with a franchise system that's purely mature.
The franchisor's consent process is the same, but the lease negotiation, local market conditions, and health-unit contact all vary by city. We handle that local variation directly rather than assuming a GTA playbook applies province-wide.
Not for a single-location Ontario resale — the tea and topping supply relationship is confirmed through the franchisor's consent process the same way regardless of which other provinces the brand is actively recruiting in, and we make sure that confirmation is in hand before you rely on it.
Not necessarily. Ontario courts have read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, and franchisor involvement in matching buyer to seller can still trigger a full disclosure requirement.
Often, yes. Acquiring an operating company that holds more than one location is more commonly done as a share purchase, so each location's franchise agreement and lease stay intact at the same time.
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 Presotea or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Presotea resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.