Smoothie King Franchises Inc., the smoothie and nutritional lifestyle center, announced it has signed eight area development agreements with new and existing franchisees to expand in several markets across the U.S., including Chicago; Dallas; Atlanta; Tallahassee, Florida; Jackson, Mississippi; New Haven, Connecticut; Sarasota, Florida; and Wichita, Kansas, marking a total of more than 100 locations sold in 2013. This signals early success as Smoothie King recently unveiled its new area development agreements designed to help multi-unit franchisees expand their portfolio.
“Smoothie King’s aggressive expansion is driven by our impressive results, a strong indication of the growing demand from consumers for our high-quality smoothies, vitamins, supplements, and healthy snacks,” says Tom O’Keefe, president and chief operating officer of Smoothie King. “Smoothie King has been incredibly well-received across the Midwest and Northeast, and we are confident the brand has great potential for further development. We look forward to building a stronger presence in these areas, in addition to introducing our healthy products to consumers in Chicago, Connecticut, and Tallahassee for the first time.”
Through these eight new area development agreements, Smoothie King will open 28 stores, including three in Chicago, four in the north Dallas suburbs, two in the Atlanta market, five in Tallahassee, three in Jackson, five in New Haven, three in Sarasota, and three in Wichita.
Smoothie King also announced all 40 franchise agreements under its latest development incentive have been sold. Earlier this year, the brand began offering new franchise candidates 40 percent off its initial franchise fee for the first 40 agreements of 2013, a savings of $10,000.
Franchisee Kevin Glazier, a former Five Guys Burgers and Fries franchisee, is new to the Smoothie King system and will open five stores in New Haven over the next three years. The first location is slated to open by the end of the year.
“I chose Smoothie King because it’s a great product and I truly have to enjoy what I’m selling in order to consider it as a business opportunity. I researched many concepts, but ultimately was looking for something healthy that would fit in with people's busy lifestyles,” Glazier says. “Smoothie King also has a strong management team that has a passion for the business and will continue to expand the brand in the coming years.”
Franchisee Deborah Rachlis, also new to the Smoothie King brand, will open three locations in the Chicago market by early 2016. The first location is targeted to open in spring 2014 in Naperville, a suburb of Chicago.
“I've spent the past few decades traveling for work and trying to eat nutritious food as often as possible. I'd make a point to find the nearest Smoothie King because it’s known for being nutrition-focused. Part of my career had been working with others to help improve their self-esteem through diet and exercise coaching,” Rachlis says. “Joining the Smoothie King family is a natural transition for me, and I look forward to providing the Chicago area with Smoothie King’s delicious, high-quality products that offer a variety of health benefits.”
Smoothie King plans to add 1,000 new franchised and corporate locations domestically over the next five years. Even with more than 500 locations in the U.S., the brand still has extensive smoothie franchise opportunities available in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast regions, as well as Texas. Smoothie King also continues to expand internationally through both master franchise and corporate stores in South Korea, Singapore, and the Cayman Islands, and is focusing on identifying partners in several key countries in Asia and the Middle East.
