Red Mango, one of the fastest-growing retailers of all-natural nonfat frozen yogurt, has announced record franchise development during 2009, signing 42 franchisees to open a total of 219 locations.
Development agreements included further expansion in California, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Illinois, and New York as well as entry into Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Louisiana, Minnesota, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.
Franchisees came from a variety of backgrounds including Elliott Threatt, a standup comedian based in Kansas City, Linda Tyler, a state representative in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Dayle Revious, a local television personality in Denver.
Also joining the system were large franchisees of other brands like Auntie Anne’s; corporate executives like Bill Chinn, formerly of GameStop; recent college graduates, independent business owners, and first-time entrepreneurs.
The locations will be in several formats including traditional stores, kiosks, co-branded locations, and self-serve destinations.
“While many companies are experiencing record lows in growth, we are very excited about our record high,” says James Franks, vice president of franchising for Red Mango. “From the type of operators and franchisees we are attracting, to the type of locations we are opening in markets across the country, this is truly a ground floor opportunity that is being built to last through flexible consumer platforms and product innovations centered around health, taste, and style.”
Red Mango kicked off 2009 with a series of Red Carpet Franchise Events designed to provide an opportunity to learn more about the Red Mango franchise opportunity and meet face-to-face with Red Mango executives. The events were held in New York, Dallas, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles and attracted more than 700 participants.
“We had a remarkable year for Red Mango, and the strength of our growth continues to boost our brand to its largest presence in company history,” Franks says. “We have produced a strong network of franchisees who will take Red Mango into 2010 and beyond.”
Red Mango was recently honored with Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2009 “Hot Concepts!” award, making it one of the most desired food chains aggressively expanding nationwide. Red Mango opened its first store in Los Angeles in July 2007 and has grown to almost 60 locations across 14 states.
“We expect to continue this type of dramatic growth throughout the year and into the future,” Franks says. “Red Mango aims to not only be the leader in the frozen treat category, but to redefine the category with our innovative product line, nontraditional stores, and core focus on health and nutrition.”
Red Mango is currently awarding franchise opportunities in select markets across the country. More information is available at www.redmangofranchising.com.
