Award-Winning Fast Casual Brand Leaving its Mark on The Sunshine State, Increasing Its Footprint with Established Multi-Unit Operators
ATLANTA – Your everyday getaway is growing in Florida—
Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a leading fast casual brand dominating the restaurant industry, came in hot during the start of 2022. Between January and August, the brand added 11 new locations throughout the state, with three of those being in the South Florida market. Tropical Smoothie Cafe continues to grow its Florida market with another eight locations slotted to open by the end of the year.
“Our strategic growth has found a great home in Florida, the very same place where we were ‘Born on a BeachTM’ in Destin back in 1997,” said Cheryl Fletcher, Chief Development Officer of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC. “Thanks to engaged franchisees throughout the area, we have become a fan-favorite across the state.”
This Florida expansion comes during a strong period of development for the better-for-you brand. With a growing pipeline of multi-unit, multi-brand new franchisees and existing franchisees, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is constantly expanding in new and existing markets.
“We first began franchising with Tropical Smoothie Cafe in 2011 and have not looked back since,” said Sandra Welzer, multi-unit franchisee based in Florida. “Coming from Fortune 500 jobs, my husband Jim and I were craving a business opportunity that matched our passions of health and wellness that allowed us to inspire future leaders. Now, with five locations open and another six in development, we can’t wait to serve even more communities and give back to local residents.”
Father and son duo, Ray and Andrew Howell are also playing a key part in this strong growth for the brand in the Sunshine State.
“I have over 25 years of experience in the franchise industry, specifically the automotive sector. When looking for a business opportunity for my son and I to share, Tropical Smoothie Cafe was the perfect fit,” said Ray Howell, a multi-unit and multi-brand franchisee based in Florida. “Fast forward to today and we have opened 19 locations together with plans for more throughout the state. The Tropical Smoothie Cafe Support Center team has been incredibly helpful and assisted us through every step of the way, making it a smooth process to continue growing with the brand.”
In the spirit of the Florida sunshine, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is partnering with No Kid Hungry® to support efforts to end childhood hunger and help kids shine bright all year long. From Aug. 31 to Oct. 4, $1* from every Sunshine Smoothie ® purchased will go to No Kid Hungry.
Interested Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise candidates should have business experience, along with a minimum net worth of $350,000, which includes $125,000 in liquid assets. Candidates who meet these preliminary qualifications will need to make an initial investment ranging between $277,000 – $584,000.
About Tropical Smoothie Cafe®
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual cafe concept inspiring a healthier lifestyle with more than 1,100 locations nationwide. For 25 years, the brand has been serving better-for-you smoothies, wraps, sandwiches and flatbreads. Tropical Smoothie Cafe also offers upgraded app technology and enhanced mobile ordering capabilities to further elevate the digital and dine-in cafe experience and emphasize the brand’s focus on convenience. The rapidly growing franchise has received numerous accolades, including a top 10 ranking in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500. It has also been named to Forbes’ Best Franchises list, Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious list and the Franchise Times Top 400 ranking. Notably, the franchise was also recognized on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers, Nation’s Restaurant News’ Top 200 and Top 10 Fastest-Growing Chains, Restaurant Business’ America’s Favorite Chains, and was awarded the TOPSCORE Fund Award and a Fund Score of 910 by FRANdata.
*2022 Entrepreneur magazine “Franchise 500” rankings