2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 7 - Alcoholic Beverages, Cannabis, and Tobacco › Chapter 23 - Beer and Wine Franchises › § 701. Definitions

§ 701. Definitions
Except as otherwise provided pursuant to section 752 of this chapter, as used in this chapter:
(1) “Certificate of approval” means an authorization by the Board of Liquor and Lottery pursuant to section 274 of this title to a manufacturer or distributor of malt beverages, vinous beverages, or ready-to-drink spirits beverages not licensed under the provisions of this title, to sell those beverages to holders of a packager’s or wholesale dealer’s license issued by the Board pursuant to section 272 or 273 of this title.
(2) “Franchise” or “agreement” means one or more of the following:
(A) a commercial relationship between a wholesale dealer and a certificate of approval holder or a manufacturer of a definite duration or indefinite duration that is or is not in writing and has been in existence for at least one year;
(B) a relationship that has been in existence for at least one year in which the wholesale dealer is granted the right to offer and sell the brands of malt beverages, vinous beverages, or ready-to-drink spirits beverages offered by the certificate of approval holder or manufacturer;
(C) a relationship that has been in existence for at least one year in which the wholesale dealer, as an independent business, constitutes a component of a certificate of approval holder’s or manufacturer’s distribution system;
(D) a relationship that has been in existence for at least one year in which the wholesale dealer’s business is substantially associated with the certificate of approval holder’s or manufacturer’s brand, advertising, or other commercial symbol designating the manufacturer;
(E) a relationship that has been in existence for at least one year in which the wholesale dealer’s business is substantially reliant on the certificate of approval holder or manufacturer for the continued supply of malt beverages, vinous beverages, or ready-to-drink spirits beverages; or
(F) a written or oral arrangement for a definite or indefinite period that has been in existence for at least one year in which a certificate of approval holder or manufacturer grants to a wholesale dealer a license to use a trade name, trademark, service mark, or related characteristic, and in which there is a community of interest in the marketing of goods or services at wholesale, retail, by lease, or otherwise.
(3) “Franchisee” means any malt beverages, vinous beverages, or ready-to-drink spirits beverages wholesale dealer to whom a franchise or agreement as defined in this section is granted or offered, or any malt beverages, vinous beverages, or ready-to-drink spirits beverages certificate of approval holder or manufacturer who is a party to a franchise or agreement as defined in this section.
(4) “Franchisor” means any malt beverages, vinous beverages, or ready-to-drink spirits beverages certificate of approval holder or manufacturer who enters into any franchise or agreement with a malt beverages or vinous beverages wholesale dealer, or any malt beverages or vinous beverages certificate of approval holder or manufacturer who is a party to a franchise or agreement as defined in this section.
(5) “Territory” or “sales territory” means the area of sales responsibility designated by any agreement or franchise between any franchisee or franchisor for the brand or brands of any franchisor or manufacturer.
(6) “Brand” and “brands” are synonymous with label and labels.
(7) “Wholesale dealer” means a packager licensed pursuant to section 272 of this title or a wholesale dealer licensed pursuant to section 273 of this title. (Added 1975, No. 199 (Adj. Sess.); amended 1983, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2017, No. 83, § 121; 2017, No. 145 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2019; 2018, No. 1 (Sp. Sess.), § 81; 2021, No. 177 (Adj. Sess.), § 31, eff. July 1, 2022.)