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Exhibit 10.17    
    

CONFORMED COPY  

 
 

BENEFITS ALLOCATION AGREEMENT    
    

        This Benefits Allocation Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2004 (this "Agreement"), is made by and among
Mrs. Fields' Original Cookies, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("MFOC"), Mrs. Fields Famous Brands, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company and a direct subsidiary of MFOC ("MFFB"), and all other direct and indirect subsidiaries of MFFB (whether now existing or hereafter formed or
acquired) as set forth on Schedule A attached hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time (each such direct or indirect subsidiary
of MFFB is referred to separately as a "Subsidiary" and, collectively as the "Subsidiaries"). 

W I T N E S S E T H:  

        WHEREAS, MFOC has implemented and continues to maintain and administer certain benefit plans that cover employees of MFOC, MFFB and all of the Subsidiaries as a
group (a list of such employees as of the date of this Agreement is set forth on Schedule B attached hereto); and 

        WHEREAS,
MFOC, MFFB and the Subsidiaries wish to agree as to the methodology and schedule pursuant to which each of MFOC, MFFB and the Subsidiaries will be allocated their
pro-rata share of the costs and benefits of such plans and MFFB and the Subsidiaries will remit payment of their respective allocated portion to MFOC. 

        NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual premises and agreements set forth herein, each of MFOC, MFFB and the Subsidiaries, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows: 

        1.    Term.    This Agreement shall remain in effect until the earlier to occur of (a) termination of the
Management Agreement, dated as of even date herewith (the "Management Agreement"), between MFOC and MFFB in accordance with its terms, and
(b) the date upon which none of the Plans are maintained or administered by MFOC (the "Term"). 

        2.    Administration of Benefits Plans.    MFOC agrees that, during the Term, it shall be responsible for maintaining
and administering (directly or through third party plan providers or administrators) each of the benefit plans now or hereafter offered to employees of MFOC, MFFB and the Subsidiaries, including,
without limitation, those existing plans listed on Schedule C attached hereto and any replacement or supplemental plans as MFOC and MFFB from
time to time may establish (collectively the "Plans"). 

        3.    Allocation and Payment of Benefits Costs.    During the Term, MFOC and MFFB shall allocate among MFOC, MFFB and
each of the Subsidiaries the costs and benefits of each of the Plans, and MFFB and each of the Subsidiaries shall remit such allocated amounts to the MFOC as follows: 

        (a)    All MFOC Plans Except the Health Plan.    

        (i)    Allocation.    On each date that any employees of MFFB or the Subsidiaries are paid (each a
"Payroll Date"), MFOC and MFFB shall allocate to MFFB and the Subsidiaries an amount equal to: 

        (1)   100%
of the aggregate contributions withheld from the paychecks of employees of MFFB or the Subsidiaries issued on such Payroll Date; plus 

        (2)   100%
of the premiums charged at such Payroll Date under the Plans in respect of each employee of MFFB and each employee of the Subsidiaries. 

        (ii)    Payment Schedule.    With three business days of each Payroll Date, MFFB, on behalf of itself and the
Subsidiaries, shall pay to MFOC, in immediately available funds, the aggregate amount allocated to MFFB and the Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 3(a)(i) less any

 
portion thereof, if any, paid by MFFB at MFOC's direction (and with the consent of the third-party provider or administrator of any Plan) directly to such third-party provider or administrator in lieu
of payment of such amounts directly to MFOC. MFOC may require MFFB to deliver an accounting statement to MFOC in connection with each such payment, in a form reasonably satisfactory to MFOC. 

        (b)    The Health Plan.    

        (i)    Establishment of Premiums.    No more frequently than quarterly or less frequently than annually at the
beginning of each Plan Year under MFOC's Self-Funded Health Insurance Plan (the "Health Plan"), management of MFOC and MFFB shall establish
per-employee "premiums" (the "Health Plan Premiums"), which will be reserved on each Payroll Date, based upon such management's review of
past claims history under the Health Plan. The Health Plan Premiums shall reflect the types of coverage each employee selects under the Health Plan. 

        (ii)    Allocation.    On each Payroll Date, MFOC will allocate to each of MFFB and the Subsidiaries an amount equal
to: 

        (1)   100%
of the aggregate of the Health Plan Premiums reserved for the payroll period ending on such Payroll Date in respect of each employee of MFFB or the Subsidiaries;
minus 

        (2)   any
amounts from the Reserve Fund (as defined below) credited against future Health Plan Premiums payable by MFFB and the MFFB Subsidiaries. 

        (iii)    Payment Schedule.    With three business days of each Payroll Date, MFFB, on behalf of itself and the
Subsidiaries, shall pay to MFOC, in immediately available funds, the aggregate amount allocated to MFFB and the Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 3(b)(ii). MFOC may require MFFB to deliver an
accounting statement to MFOC in connection with each such payment, in a form reasonably satisfactory to MFOC. 

        (iv)    Treatment of the Health Plan Premiums; Reserve Fund.    MFOC shall collect payments made pursuant to
Section 3(b)(iii) and maintain a reserve fund in respect of the Health Plan Premiums (collectively, the "Reserve Fund"). If, at any time,
actual claims exceed the total amount of the Health Plan Premiums in the Reserve Fund, MFOC and MFFB promptly shall contribute to the Reserve Fund an aggregate amount equal to the shortfall, with
MFOC's share determined by using the last established Management Agreement Allocation (as defined below). At the end of each Plan Year under the Health
Plan, if management of MFOC and MFFB using commercially reasonable judgment shall determine that the balance of the Reserve Fund is too high, such excess reserves will be credited against future
reserves to be paid by each of MFOC and MFFB, with MFOC's credit determined by using the last established Management Agreement Allocation. 

        (v)    Replacement of the Health Plan.    If, during the Term, the Health Plan is replaced with a traditional
premium-based insurance policy, premiums and costs associated with the replacement plan will be allocated and paid pursuant to Section 3(a) above. The Reserve Fund established prior to
obtaining the traditional policy will remain in place for a period of time necessary, as determined by management of MFOC and MFFB, to pay future claims arising from prior periods. If any balance
remains at the end of the Term, or at such time, in the discretion of the management of MFOC and MFFB, that the Reserve Fund is no longer needed, the aggregate amount of the Health Plan Premiums in
the Reserve Fund will be returned to each of MFOC and MFFB, with MFOC's share of the total determined by using the last established Management Agreement Allocation.

 

        (c)    Plan Maintenance Costs.    

        (i)    Allocation.    At the end of each fiscal month during the Term, MFOC and MFFB shall allocate to MFFB and the
Subsidiaries the amount, if any, equal to that portion of MFOC's out-of-pocket costs associated with obtaining and maintaining each Plan, including the Health Plan, that, as of
such Payroll Date, are not allocated to MFOC in the allocation of "Fixed G&A" and "Variable G&A" costs then most recently determined pursuant to Section 4.1(a)(iii) of the Management
Agreement (the "Management Agreement Allocation"). 

        (ii)    Payment Schedule.    With three business days of the end of each fiscal month during the Term, MFFB, on behalf
of itself and the Subsidiaries, shall pay to MFOC, in immediately available funds, the aggregate amount, if any, allocated to MFFB and the Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 3(c)(i). MFOC may
require MFFB to deliver an accounting statement to MFOC in connection with each such payment, in a form reasonably satisfactory to MFOC. 

        4.    Miscellaneous.    

        (a)    Governing Law.    This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Utah (other than its rules of
conflicts of law to the extent that the application of the laws of another jurisdiction would be required thereby). 

        (b)    Counterparts.    This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an
original, and all of which shall together constitute a single instrument. 

        (c)    Descriptive Headings.    Descriptive headings of the Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience
only and shall not affect the meaning of this Agreement. 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank.] 

        IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereby have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above written. 

	 	 	MRS. FIELDS' ORIGINAL COOKIES, INC.
	

 	
 	

By:	
 	

/s/  MICHAEL R. WARD      
	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Michael R. Ward
	 	 	Title:	 	Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
	

 	
 	
MRS. FIELDS FAMOUS BRANDS, LLC
	

 	
 	

By:	
 	

/s/  MICHAEL R. WARD      
	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Michael R. Ward
	 	 	Title:	 	Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
	

 	
 	
THE SUBSIDIARIES:
	 	 	GREAT AMERICAN COOKIE COMPANY FRANCHISING, LLC, MRS. FIELDS FRANCHISING, LLC, PRETZEL TIME FRANCHISING, LLC, PRETZELMAKER FRANCHISING, LLC, TCBY SYSTEMS, LLC, MRS. FIELDS GIFTS, INC., THE MRS. FIELDS'
BRAND, INC., GREAT AMERICAN MANUFACTURING, LLC, MRS. FIELDS COOKIES AUSTRALIA, TCBY INTERNATIONAL, INC., TCBY OF TEXAS, INC. RIVERPORT EQUIPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, CMI PROPERTY HOLDINGS, INC., JUICE WORKS DEVELOPMENT,
 INC., TCBY OF TURKEY, INC, TCBY OF COLOMBIA, INC., TCBY OF BOLIVIA, INC., TCBY OF IRELAND, INC., TCBY OF SAUDI ARABIA, INC., TCBY OF MEXICO, INC., TCBY OF ARUBA, INC., TCBY UNITED KINGDOM, INC., TCBY OF
PHILIPPINES, INC., TCBY OF QATAR, INC., TCBY OF ISRAEL, INC., TCBY OF PORTUGAL, INC., TCBY OF NETHERLANDS, INC., TCBY OF AUSTRALIA, INC., TCBY OF JORDAN, INC., TCBY OF SOUTH AFRICA, INC., TCBY OF KUWAIT,
 INC.
	

 	
 	

By:	
 	

/s/  MICHAEL R. WARD      
	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Michael R. Ward
	 	 	Title:	 	Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 
 

Schedule A

 
  Subsidiaries of MFFB

	• Great American Cookie Company Franchising, LLC	 	• TCBY of Colombia, Inc.
	• Mrs. Fields Franchising, LLC	 	• TCBY of Bolivia, Inc.
	• Pretzel Time Franchising, LLC	 	• TCBY of Ireland, Inc.
	• Pretzelmaker Franchising, LLC	 	• TCBY of Saudi Arabia, Inc.
	• TCBY Systems, LLC	 	• TCBY of Mexico, Inc.
	• Mrs. Fields Gifts, Inc.	 	• TCBY of Aruba, Inc.
	• The Mrs. Fields' Brand, Inc.	 	• TCBY United Kingdom, Inc.
	• Great American Manufacturing, LLC	 	• TCBY of Philippines, Inc.
	• Mrs. Fields Cookies Australia	 	• TCBY of Qatar, Inc.
	• TCBY International, Inc.	 	• TCBY of Israel, Inc.
	• TCBY of Texas, Inc.	 	• TCBY of Portugal, Inc.
	• Riverport Equipment and Distribution Company	 	• TCBY of Netherlands, Inc.
	• CMI Property Holdings, Inc.	 	• TCBY of Australia, Inc.
	• Juice Works Development, Inc.	 	• TCBY of Jordan, Inc.
	• TCBY of Turkey, Inc	 	• TCBY of South Africa, Inc.
	 	 	• TCBY of Kuwait, Inc.

 
 

Schedule B

        [See attached.] 

 
 

Schedule C

The Existing Plans

	•
	Premium-Based and Employee Contribution Plans

	•
	Mrs. Fields'
Original Cookies, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan

	•
	Mrs. Fields'
Original Cookies, Inc. Employee Benefits Policy—Hawaii

	•
	Mrs. Fields'
Original Cookies, Inc. Group Term Life Insurance Plan (Basic)

	•
	Mrs. Fields'
Original Cookies, Inc. Group Supplemental Life and Supplemental AD&D Insurance Plan

	•
	Mrs. Fields'
Original Cookies, Inc. Supplemental Benefits Optional Coverage Plan

	•
	Hyatt
Premier Legal Plan

	•
	Mrs. Fields'
Original Cookies, Inc. Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan

	•
	Mrs. Fields'
Original Cookies, Inc. Group Long Term Disability Insurance Program

	•
	Self-Funded Health Insurance Plan

	•
	Mrs. Fields'
Original Cookies, Inc. Health Benefits Plan (Administered by EBMS) 

QuickLinks

Exhibit 10.17

BENEFITS ALLOCATION AGREEMENT

Schedule A

Subsidiaries of MFFB

Schedule B

Schedule CQuickLinks
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Exhibit 10.18    
    

CONFORMED COPY

 
  COLLECTION AGENCY AGREEMENT    
    

        This Collection Agency Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2004 (this "Agreement"), is made by and between
Mrs. Fields' Original Cookies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Mrs. Fields Famous Brands, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (the "Agent"). 

W I T N E S S E T H:

        WHEREAS,
the Company currently operates or previously has operated certain retail food stores, the related store properties of which it leases, as a tenant; 

        WHEREAS,
the Company may sell or has sold some of these retail food stores to third parties (the "Sold Stores") where it may remain or has
remained as the tenant on the store leases related to the Sold Stores (the "Sold Store Leases") with the purchasers of the Sold Stores becoming
subtenants of the Company (the "Subtenants") under certain subleases between the Company and the Subtenants entered into in accordance with the Sold
Store Leases; and 

        WHEREAS,
the Company desires that the Agent undertake the collection of the Subtenants' rental payments (as the same may from time to time be identified by the Company, the
"Accounts") made in respect of the Sold Store Leases in the manner and under the terms hereinafter set forth and the Agent desires to accept such
engagement. 

        NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual premises and covenants contained in this Agreement, the parties hereby agree as follows: 

        1.    Appointment as Agent.    The Company hereby appoints the Agent to collect and receive all sums due and payable
to the Company in respect of the Accounts. 

        2.    Compensation.    The Agent shall receive no compensation for its collection of the Accounts under this
Agreement, provided, however, that the Agent shall be entitled to reimbursement under the Management Agreement, dated as of even date herewith (the "Management
Agreement"), between the Agent and the Company, for certain costs associated with the provision of services under this Agreement by certain of Agent's employees. 

        3.    Validity of Accounts.    The Company warrants, that so far as known to the Company, the Accounts assigned for
collection are valid, existing and enforceable against the Subtenants. 

        4.    Collection Terms.    The Agent shall: 

        (a)   have
the authority to receive payment in check, cash or other immediately available funds, money order, credit card and other instruments that may be received as
payment; 

        (b)   use
all lawful means to effect collection of the Accounts, including without limitation, preparing and delivering to Subtenants any statements and invoices in respect of
the Accounts; 

        (c)   remit,
in full, gross collections on the Accounts to the Company as soon as practicable after receipt thereof with a statement listing such information as the Company
reasonably may request; 

        (d)   provide
a quarterly listing of Accounts returned to the Company as uncollectible with an explanation as to why; and 

        (e)   make
records and Account information available to the Company for audit and inspection at any time during normal business hours. 

        5.    Collection Enforcement Actions.    The Company reserves to itself the decision whether the Accounts shall be
placed with an outside collection agency or with an attorney for litigation. In the event all ordinary and reasonable collection efforts of Agent fail, the Company may authorize the

 
Agent in writing to retain an outside collection agency or an attorney for the Company on prescribed terms and to commence litigation in the name and on behalf of the Company. 

        6.    Collection Expenses.    All costs and expenditures to effect collection of the Accounts shall be borne by Agent;
provided, however, that the Agent may allocate certain costs associated with the performance of this Agreemenby by the Agent's employees to the Company pursuant to the Management Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, all outside collection agency fees and costs, and litigation costs (including court costs and attorneys' fees) arising from or related to Accounts specifically
authorized for outside collection or suit by the Company, shall be borne by the Company. 

        7.    Indemnification.    

        (a)   The
Agent shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any and all claims, demands, or cause of action that may asserted due to the activities of Agent on any of
the Accounts. 

        (b)   The
Company agrees to indemnify and hold the Agent harmless from any and all claims, demands, or causes of action that may be asserted due to the activities of the
Company on any Account. 

        8.    Miscellaneous.    

        (a)    Governing Law.    This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Utah (other than its rules of
conflicts of law to the extent that the application of the laws of another jurisdiction would be required thereby). 

        (b)    Counterparts.    This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an
original, and all of which shall together constitute a single instrument. 

        (c)    Descriptive Headings.    Descriptive headings of the Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience
only and shall not affect the meaning of this Agreement. 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank.] 

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereby have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above written. 

	 	 	MRS. FIELDS' ORIGINAL COOKIES, INC.
	

 	
 	

 	

 
	 	 	By:	/s/  MICHAEL R. WARD      
 Name: Michael R. Ward

Title: Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
	

 	
 	

 	

 
	 	 	MRS. FIELDS FAMOUS BRANDS, LLC
	

 	
 	

 	

 
	 	 	By:	/s/  MICHAEL R. WARD      
 Name: Michael R. Ward

Title: Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

QuickLinks

Exhibit 10.18

COLLECTION AGENCY AGREEMENT

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