Related-party transactions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 30, 2017

The Company recognized royalty income from its equity method investees as follows (in thousands):



	Fiscal year ended
	December 30, 2017		December 31, 2016	December 26, 2015
Japan JV	$	1,745	1,873	1,378
South Korea JV	4,525		4,030	4,288
Spain JV	—		—	68
	$	6,270	5,903	5,734

At December 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company had $1.5 million and $1.1 million, respectively, of royalties receivable from its equity method investees, which were recorded in accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, in the consolidated balance sheets.

The Company made net payments to its equity method investees totaling approximately $3.3 million in fiscal year 2017, and $3.2 million in each of the fiscal years 2016 and 2015, primarily for the purchase of ice cream products.

Upon sale of the Company's ownership interest in the Spain JV in fiscal year 2016 (see note 6), the Company recovered approximately $1.0 million in notes receivable repayments.

During fiscal years 2017, 2016, and 2015, the Company recognized sales of ice cream and other products of $4.2 million, $4.3 million, and $4.0 million, respectively, in the consolidated statements of operations from the sale of ice cream products to the Australia JV. As of December 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company had $3.6 million and $2.6 million, respectively of net receivables from the Australia JV, consisting of accounts and notes receivable, net of current liabilities.