Tropical Smoothie Café announced today it is aggressively targeting North Carolina, and specifically the Charlotte market, for franchise growth. Over the next five years, the sandwich and smoothie franchise expects to open 20 locations throughout Greater Charlotte.
Tropical Smoothie Café will open two North Carolina, franchisee-owned restaurants next month, including one location on April 11 at 3860 John Gordon Lane in High Point, and a second on April 27 at 150 Andrews Road, Suite 7 in Fayetteville.
“With fewer than two dozen locations throughout the entire state of North Carolina, Tropical Smoothie Café has ample opportunities for local entrepreneurs to become a franchise owner with a brand that is experiencing growth that is outpacing the rest of the fast casual industry,” says Charles Watson, vice president of franchise development for Tropical Smoothie Café. “In fact, the National Restaurant Association ranks North Carolina sixth in the nation in terms of fastest restaurant job growth over the next decade. As the largest city in the state, Charlotte will certainly be a hotspot for an increasing number of restaurants, making it a great place for Tropical Smoothie Café to expand our presence.”
Kevin Smith, a Tropical Smoothie Café franchisee who owns one location in Charlotte in the Promenade on Providence shopping center, worked in corporate print media advertising for 20 years before deciding to become a franchise owner.
“I watched Tropical Smoothie Café flourish in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and thought, ‘If this brand can do well in the North, it can do well anywhere’,” says Smith, who plans to open two additional cafés in Charlotte over the next three years. “Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s proven formula and size make it an ideal business opportunity for someone looking to start a franchise and grow with the brand.”
This year, Tropical Smoothie Café plans to exceed 500 stores nationwide and sign franchise agreements for an additional 150 new locations. The brand currently has franchise opportunities across the U.S. in markets such as Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, and Columbus, Ohio, among others. By 2018, Tropical Smoothie Café plans to have 800 stores open across the U.S.
