Smoothie King, the world’s largest smoothie brand and the first health and fitness fast casual brand of its kind, announced its 2023 brand update, concluding 2023 as a year of company record-breaking growth with its largest new development quarter in seven years. The year was also highlighted by an 11.5% jump in same store sales and positive traffic growth. The brand forecasts even more expansion as it looks to 2024, including 100 new store openings.
Smoothie King attributes development growth and market expansion, as well as menu innovation and a bolder, more disruptive marketing approach, as key contributing factors to the year’s growth. The company reported 189 new store commitments were added to the development pipeline in 2023, marking Q4 2023 as its largest signings quarter since 2017 with 39 franchise agreements and 20 area development commitments. New store commitments in 2023 included agreements in 47 DMAs and 29 states, four of which are new markets for Smoothie King: Utah, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Expansion remained strong in Smoothie King’s home market of Dallas-Fort Worth, culminating in 15 new units in 2023 as well as new agreements signed in two terminals of the DFW Airport, marking the brand’s largest market of new deals for the year.
Smoothie King continued to see a meaningful increase in traffic in 2023, primarily driven by purposeful menu innovation and the launch of Smoothie Bowls, meeting the needs of guests, and fitting naturally into guests’ active lifestyles. Smoothie King’s eight new Smoothie Bowls can be found at its more than 1,100 locations nationwide. Smoothie Bowls are topped with whole fresh fruit and premium Purely Elizabeth granola, made with wholesome ingredients, non-GMO fruits and packed with flavor and nutrients. The brand has sold more than 5.5 million Smoothie Bowls since introducing the product in April 2023.
“2023 was a monumental year for Smoothie King, marked by the highest sales period in our 50-year history in Q3 as well as one of our largest new development quarters in seven years during Q4,” says Wan Kim, CEO of Smoothie King. “As we look back on menu innovation from the year, we are incredibly proud to have become one of the country’s largest smoothie bowl destinations through the introduction of our eight Smoothie Bowls, allowing us to further the Clean Blends promise and our mission of inspiring a healthy and active lifestyle.”
This year Smoothie King was also included in QSR magazine’s “Best Franchise Deals” and annual “QSR 50 Contenders” list.
