Maui Wowi Hawaiian, the international franchise company specializing in authentic Hawaiian products and all-natural smoothies, announced its listing on "Entrepreneur" Magazine's Franchise 500, a highly esteemed annual listing and first of its kind in the industry.

Maui Wowi has been a longtime fixture on the list and has previously been ranked as a "Low-Cost Franchise," "Top Global Franchise," and "Military Friendly Franchise."

"Acknowledgment of Maui Wowi on the Franchise 500 list year after year continues to validate the strength of our system, our ability to seize opportunities, and our confidence in the future growth of the company," says Erin Hicks, executive vice president of Maui Wowi Hawaiian. "The culture of Maui Wowi and the quality of our products are exemplified by the franchisees that live and breathe this lifestyle every day and bring the Aloha Spirit to the customer."

This is the 34-annual Franchise 500 List, which is created through an objective and quantifiable selection process using "Entrepreneur" Magazine's proprietary analysis and formula to determine the best of the best. Criteria include financial strength, growth rate, and startup costs.

Maui Wowi has spent 30 years cultivating a business model that adheres to its core values of family, quality products, sustainability, and the Aloha Spirit. The culture is evident on every level of the concept, from its mobile event carts that are designed like a tiki bar, to the employees who greet customers with an "aloha" and thanks them with "mahalo."

The company is actively franchising both domestically and internationally, with more than 40 new units expected to open in 2013.