Smoothie King, the world’s largest smoothie chain and the first health and fitness quick-service brand of its kind, announced the signing of a multi-unit development agreement that will bring 15 new locations to Dallas-Fort Worth. Leading the brand’s expansion in its home market is seasoned multi-unit franchisee Mohammed Azaz of HIBA-SK LLC, who also acquired six existing Smoothie King locations in Fall 2022. The announcement builds on the development momentum that Smoothie King has sustained in recent months, remaining on pace to open 100 locations before the end of 2023. The brand has also added 71 stores to its pipeline since the start of the year.
“We welcomed Mohammad to the Smoothie King family last year and we’re privileged that he’ll be expanding his presence with our brand through multiple new store builds. We’re always looking to partner with experienced franchisees that are not only eager to grow, but also passionate about making a positive impact in their community,” says Chris Bremer, Chief Development Officer at Smoothie King. “Mohammed has exemplified this passion throughout his franchising career and we are proud that he will be growing his portfolio further with Smoothie King.”
A former healthcare executive at ORACLE Cerner, an American supplier of health information technology supplies and services, Azaz began pursuing his entrepreneurial dreams because he wanted the opportunity to control and measure his own growth. Now, with 15 years of franchising experience, Azaz has developed more than 30 franchised locations across Kansas City predominantly with Great Clips and Goddard Preschools. As the largest Great Clips franchisee in Kansas City, Azaz is adding more Smoothie King locations to his portfolio because of the brand’s leadership and continued innovation, among other core differentiators.
“I’ve been actively searching to further diversify my portfolio, and Smoothie King immediately stood out for its strong company mission, category leadership, products and the ongoing support it provides franchisees,” says Mohammed Azaz. “It’s also inspiring to learn more about Wan Kim’s journey from franchisee to CEO, and the dedication that each corporate team member has for the brand. It’s something I chose to be a part of, and I’m excited to develop new locations with Smoothie King and build my existing portfolio with the brand.”
To support franchisees like Azaz, Smoothie King has placed an emphasis on menu innovation that drives profitability for franchisees across the system, increasing traffic and building guest loyalty. Smoothie King enables its guests to achieve the health-focused goals they set out to accomplish by offering high-quality and great-tasting specialty products that are crafted to serve a purpose. This year, the brand is celebrating 50 years since blending America’s original smoothie and has continued to evolve, launching new additions to their menu including Power Meal Smoothies, Gut Health Smoothies and its newest item, Smoothie Bowls. Smoothie Bowls were launched April 4th and have shown tremendous success.
To expand further, Smoothie King continues to seek experienced operators interested in growing their portfolio with a brand committed to providing products that inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Single and multi-unit development opportunities are available, as well as incentives for active-duty U.S. military or veterans and for first responders, including law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians.