NEW ORLEANS (May 1, 2018) Smoothie King, the leading smoothie company with more than 900 locations worldwide, continues its record-setting growth in 2018. The company signed 36 new franchise agreements this quarter across 14 states that will add 36 new stores to the brand’s growing footprint.
Momentum continues to build for the brand, which is already the fastest-growing chain in its category. In 2017, Smoothie King added 147 franchisee agreements, and it expects to open 150 new locations in 2018, the most stores it has ever opened in the U.S. in a single year.
CEO Wan Kim credits the company’s continued growth to its Cleaner Blending initiative and its ongoing focus on Smoothies With A Purpose.
“Our customers are recognizing our vision – that Smoothie King is an integral part of their health and fitness journey,” said Kim. “As a result, we are attracting multi-unit and experienced operators that are committed to supporting healthy and active lifestyles. With five consecutive years of positive same-store sales, we see a real opportunity to combine vision and financial success.”
In 2017, Smoothie King launched its Cleaner Blending initiative, eliminating high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, hydrogenated oil, gluten and ingredients prohibited by any regulatory lists monitored by NSF from all its smoothies. Already in 2018, it has added whole blueberries and spinach to its ingredient list and will remove artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial preservatives, added hormones, GMO fruits and vegetables, and all added sugar from more than 50 smoothies by the end of this year.
Franchisees are also responding positively to the company’s vision, according to Smoothie King Chief Development Officer Kevin King. “Many of our existing franchisees are expanding their franchise agreements, adding new locations and new markets. They are inspired by Wan’s commitment to Smoothies With A Purpose and see the opportunity to make a living by inspiring people to live a healthy and active lifestyle.”
For example, a franchisee opening its first location in Joplin, Missouri, this year voted to expand into Tulsa, Oklahoma, based on Smoothie King’s financial success and commitment to the vision. Resilient, LLC, led by Steven and Tristan Taggart, will open three Tulsa locations over the next three years. The company’s Joplin location will open in 2018.
Smoothie King’s expansion will continue to expand organically with a focus on 16 key markets: Dallas; Miami; Baltimore; Indianapolis; New York; Cincinnati; Denver; Phoenix; San Antonio; Chicago; Orlando, Florida; Austin, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; and Jacksonville, Florida.
Media Contact
Colleen Enis
colleen@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Katie McKenzie
katie@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
NEW ORLEANS (May 1, 2018) Smoothie King, the leading smoothie company with more than 900 locations worldwide, continues its record-setting growth in 2018. The company signed 36 new franchise agreements this quarter across 14 states that will add 36 new stores to the brand’s growing footprint.
Momentum continues to build for the brand, which is already the fastest-growing chain in its category. In 2017, Smoothie King added 147 franchisee agreements, and it expects to open 150 new locations in 2018, the most stores it has ever opened in the U.S. in a single year.
CEO Wan Kim credits the company’s continued growth to its Cleaner Blending initiative and its ongoing focus on Smoothies With A Purpose.
Our customers are recognizing our vision – that Smoothie King is an integral part of their health and fitness journey
Wan Kim, CEO Smoothie King
“As a result, we are attracting multi-unit and experienced operators that are committed to supporting healthy and active lifestyles. With five consecutive years of positive same-store sales, we see a real opportunity to combine vision and financial success.”
In 2017, Smoothie King launched its Cleaner Blending initiative, eliminating high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, hydrogenated oil, gluten and ingredients prohibited by any regulatory lists monitored by NSF from all its smoothies. Already in 2018, it has added whole blueberries and spinach to its ingredient list and will remove artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial preservatives, added hormones, GMO fruits and vegetables, and all added sugar from more than 50 smoothies by the end of this year.
Franchisees are also responding positively to the company’s vision, according to Smoothie King Chief Development Officer Kevin King. “Many of our existing franchisees are expanding their franchise agreements, adding new locations and new markets. They are inspired by Wan’s commitment to Smoothies With A Purpose and see the opportunity to make a living by inspiring people to live a healthy and active lifestyle.”
For example, a franchisee opening its first location in Joplin, Missouri, this year voted to expand into Tulsa, Oklahoma, based on Smoothie King’s financial success and commitment to the vision. Resilient, LLC, led by Steven and Tristan Taggart, will open three Tulsa locations over the next three years. The company’s Joplin location will open in 2018.
Smoothie King’s expansion will continue to expand organically with a focus on 16 key markets: Dallas; Miami; Baltimore; Indianapolis; New York; Cincinnati; Denver; Phoenix; San Antonio; Chicago; Orlando, Florida; Austin, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; and Jacksonville, Florida.
Media Contact
Katie McKenzie
katie@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Nikki Richardson
nikki@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
NEW ORLEANS (April 24,2018) Smoothie King, the leading smoothie brand committed to inspiring guests to live a healthy and active lifestyle with more than 900 locations worldwide, has collaborated with the American Cancer Society to create the Daily Warrior, a great-tasting, high-calorie smoothie that is designed to help people who face challenges meeting their daily caloric and nutritional needs. The Daily Warrior smoothie is blended with fruits and vegetables as well as protein, fiber, calcium, iron and potassium to help those individuals power through their day.
Smoothie King food scientists, with input from American Cancer Society nutritionists, developed a great-tasting smoothie to deliver a high level of calories and important nutrients for overall health. The Daily Warrior smoothie, when added to an individual’s diet, helps support those caloric goals. American Cancer Society nutritional guidelines call for a healthy diet with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
“The Daily Warrior is one of our ‘Smoothies With A Purpose,’ conveniently and deliciously helping deliver important nutrients for overall health, including protein, fiber, calcium, iron and potassium, but with a higher caloric value, which makes it a great addition to a diet for people who struggle to maintain or increase their weight regardless of the reason,” said Mitchell Grittman, food scientist for Smoothie King. “It goes back to the company’s mission since 1973, when our founder experimented with different blends of real fruit and nutrients to help others support their health goals in a delicious way. We continue to inspire people to lead healthy and active lifestyles through our purpose blends and Cleaner Blending initiative.”
The 20-ounce, 660-calorie smoothie is made with bananas, wild blueberries, dates, peanut butter, organic spinach, almonds, blueberry juice blend and stevia plant-based sweetener. It has 31 grams of fat, 15 grams of fiber, 16 grams of protein and, true to Smoothie King’s Cleaner Blending initiative, has no added sugar, trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils or gluten.
“The American Cancer Society attacks cancer from every angle, and this collaboration is an innovative, hands-on way to meet the needs of our most important audience – those facing cancer directly,” said American Cancer Society Chief Development and Marketing Officer Sharon Byers. “We’re also inspired by the Smoothie King backstory, because that same desire to help people led to the formation of ACS 105 years ago.”
For more information on the new smoothie, the Cleaner Blending initiative, and Smoothie King’s mission to inspire people to live healthy and active lifestyles, go to smoothieking.com/cleanerblending.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 1.5 million volunteers dedicated to saving lives, celebrating lives and leading the fight for a world without cancer. From breakthrough research to free
lodging near treatment, a 24/7/365 live helpline, free rides to treatment, and convening powerful activists to create awareness and impact, the Society is attacking cancer from every angle. For more information, including nutrition and physical activity guidelines for cancer survivors, go to cancer.org.
Media Contact
Colleen Enis
colleen@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Katie McKenzie
katie@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Sarah List
sarah.list@mslgroup.com
404.870.6826
NEW ORLEANS (March 13,2018) Smoothie King, the leading smoothie company with more than 900 locations worldwide, furthers its Cleaner Blending initiative with the addition of whole organic spinach to the menu, joining other whole veggies like carrots and kale that can be blended into smoothies to support healthy and active lifestyles.
Two new Smoothie King blends feature organic spinach: the Vegan Pineapple Spinach Smoothie and the Veggie Lemon Ginger Spinach Smoothie. Guests can also add spinach to any other smoothie.
“Our new veggie smoothies are packed with fiber, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C, making them nutritious additions to our Cleaner Blending menu,” said Mitchell Grittman, food scientist for Smoothie King. “Not only will these smoothies help guests fill the ‘whole’ in their diets, they also stay true to our promise to create better-for-you blends with quality ingredients.”
Smoothie King’s Cleaner Blending initiative focuses on removing added sugar, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives, added hormones in dairy, and GMO fruits and veggies from its smoothie offerings while including more whole fruits and vegetables. The company is on track to achieve its Cleaner Blending goals in more than 50 Purpose blends by the end of 2018.
Smoothie King blends all smoothies with the intent to help its guests live a purpose-driven lifestyle. The new Veggie and Vegan Blends will help guests enjoy the benefits of a plant-based diet, without compromising flavor.
Media Contact
Katie McKenzie
katie@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Nikki Richardson
nikki@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
What
To show appreciation and support for the local team of Hurricane Matthew “first responders,” multiple Smoothie King stores along Florida’s northeastern coast will be giving away free smoothies to all police officers, fire fighters, EMTs, medical workers, national guard personnel, utility personnel, and county and city workers.
“First Responder Free Day” will take place all day on Wednesday, October 12th. Fourteen stores in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, St. Augustine, and Port Orange will be participating. First responders simply show up in uniform or show their IDs at the store and receive a free 20 oz. smoothie of their choice. One smoothie per person, while supplies last; valid locations listed below.
Background
The Smoothie King franchise is no stranger to Hurricane devastation of this kind. Headquartered in New Orleans, Smoothie King endured Hurricane Katrina 11 years ago and knows how important community support is during this time.
Who
Smoothie King stores in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, St. Augustine, and Port Orange.
When
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Where
Participating locations include:
- 1020 S. Third St. in Jacksonville Beach
- 1661Riverside Ave. in Jacksonville
- 9810-4 Baymeadows Rd. in Jacksonville
- 1835 U.S.-1 South, Suite 113 in St. Augustine
- 13770 Beach Blvd. in Jacksonville
- 4624 Town Crossing Dr. Suite 119 in Jacksonville
- 9901 San Jose Blvd. in Jacksonville
- 13457 Atlantic Blvd. Suite 1 in Jacksonville
- 445 Florida 13 in Jacksonville
- 790 Skymarks Dr. in Jacksonville
- 6025 Butler Point Road, Suite 105 in Jacksonville
- 220 Palm Coast Pkwy NE in Palm Coast
- 1808 W Int’l Speedway Blvd, Suite 701 in Daytona Beach
- 1665 Dunlawton Ave. in Port Orange
Visuals
Photos of Smoothie King stores
Photos of Smoothie King smoothies
B-roll of smoothies being made at Smoothie King
Interviews
Interviews with local Smoothie King franchisee Jason Luther are available upon request
Media Contact
Colleen Enis
colleen@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Katie McKenzie
katie@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Susanna Kalnes
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114
What
To show appreciation and support for the local team of Hurricane Matthew “first responders,” multiple Smoothie King stores along Florida’s northeastern coast will be giving away free smoothies to all police officers, fire fighters, EMTs, medical workers, national guard personnel, utility personnel, and county and city workers.
“First Responder Free Day” will take place all day on Wednesday, October 12th. Fourteen stores in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, St. Augustine, and Port Orange will be participating. First responders simply show up in uniform or show their IDs at the store and receive a free 20 oz. smoothie of their choice. One smoothie per person, while supplies last; valid locations listed below.
Background
The Smoothie King franchise is no stranger to Hurricane devastation of this kind. Headquartered in New Orleans, Smoothie King endured Hurricane Katrina 11 years ago and knows how important community support is during this time.
Who
Smoothie King stores in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, St. Augustine, and Port Orange.
When
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Where
Participating locations include:
- 1020 S. Third St. in Jacksonville Beach
- 1661Riverside Ave. in Jacksonville
- 9810-4 Baymeadows Rd. in Jacksonville
- 1835 U.S.-1 South, Suite 113 in St. Augustine
- 13770 Beach Blvd. in Jacksonville
- 4624 Town Crossing Dr. Suite 119 in Jacksonville
- 9901 San Jose Blvd. in Jacksonville
- 13457 Atlantic Blvd. Suite 1 in Jacksonville
- 445 Florida 13 in Jacksonville
- 790 Skymarks Dr. in Jacksonville
- 6025 Butler Point Road, Suite 105 in Jacksonville
- 220 Palm Coast Pkwy NE in Palm Coast
- 1808 W Int’l Speedway Blvd, Suite 701 in Daytona Beach
- 1665 Dunlawton Ave. in Port Orange
Visuals
Photos of Smoothie King stores
Photos of Smoothie King smoothies
B-roll of smoothies being made at Smoothie King
Interviews
Interviews with local Smoothie King franchisee Jason Luther are available upon request
Media Contact
Colleen Enis
colleen@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Katie McKenzie
katie@spmcommunications.com
817.329.3257
Susanna Kalnes
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114
What
U.S. Olympic Beach Volleyball Player Brooke Sweat will be visiting Orlando on Saturday, October 1st to do a “meet and greet” with local volleyball athletes and community members. Sweat will discuss her journey to the Olympics, her experience competing in Rio, and her mission to help others achieve greater health and wellness.
Hosted by Smoothie King, this event is free and open to the public. Sweat will be taking photos, signing autographs and sampling free smoothies.
To show appreciation and support for the local team of Hurricane Matthew “first responders,” multiple Smoothie King stores along Florida’s northeastern coast will be giving away free smoothies to all police officers, fire fighters, EMTs, medical workers, national guard personnel, utility personnel, and county and city workers.
More Info
Sweat has partnered with Smoothie King in 2016 to help promote healthy and active lifestyles in communities across the country. She will be sampling Caribbean Way smoothies at this event. For more information, please visit www.SmoothieKing.com.
Who
Brooke Sweat – click here for more info
When
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Where
Orlando Tampa Volleyball Academy
6700 Kingspointe Pkwy
Orlando, FL 32819
Visuals
Professional action photos of Sweat
Photos of Sweat interacting with the local community on-site
Interviews
Interviews with local Smoothie King franchisee Jason Luther are available upon request
Media Contact
Susanna Kalnes
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114
NEW ORLEANS, (July 26, 2016) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 790 stores worldwide, will launch a new line of Coffee High Protein Smoothies at all store locations on August 22, 2016. Blended with New Orleans-style cold brew coffee and high-quality protein, these smoothies are geared towards guests who are looking to energize their day.
“Flipping the switch can be hard in the morning, but not anymore,” said Rocky Gettys, Vice President of Product Development for Smoothie King. “With our new Coffee High Protein Smoothies, guests can power on their entire bodies. These smoothies not only satisfy coffee cravings, but also provide 30 grams of muscle-building protein per 20-ounce cup. Guests can enjoy a nutritious breakfast in just one cup.”
The four Coffee High Protein Smoothies include:
- Almond Mocha: cold brew coffee, whey protein, protein blend, almonds, turbinado, non-fat dry milk, and 100 percent cocoa
- Vanilla: cold brew coffee, whey protein, protein blend, turbinado, almonds, and non-fat dry milk
- Raspberry Mocha: cold brew coffee, raspberry puree, whey protein, protein blend, almonds, turbinado, non-fat dry milk, and 100 percent cocoa
- Cinnamon Latte: cold brew coffee, whey protein, protein blend, non-fat dry milk, almonds, turbinado, and cinnamon
These smoothies range from 370 to 430 calories per 20 oz. cup with 30g or more of protein in each. They will be permanent menu items. For more information, visit www.SmoothieKing.com.
Media Contact
Lauren Kaminski – No Limit Agency
lauren@nolimitagency.com
312.526.3966
NEW ORLEANS – As Smoothie King continues to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle throughout the world, the brand is proud to announce its expansion into a new territory—Trinidad and Tobago. Through a partnership with experienced franchise group Cinnaworld Ltd., a total of four Smoothie King units will be added across the country within the next few years. With more than 780 locations worldwide and plans to top 1,000 locations globally by the end of 2017, Smoothie King, the New Orleans-area-based innovator of the smoothie segment, is excited to bring their purpose to this new territory.
Founded in 2011, Cinnaworld Ltd., is operated by Naveed Mohammed and Renee Peterson, a husband-and-wife team based in Trinidad. Entrepreneurs by trade, the duo has opened a total of seven Cinnabon and four Auntie Anne’s stores in Trinidad and Tobago. Within a year of operation, Cinnaworld Ltd. was recognized by FOCUS Brands as the “International New Franchise Partner of Year.” In 2013, they expanded their territory rights to include Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Lucia and Grenada with a commitment to opening additional locations. But when Mohammed and Peterson decided it was time to diversify their portfolio, they turned to a brand they felt personally passionate about—Smoothie King.
Trinidad and Tobago’s first Smoothie King location is set to open in the third quarter of 2016. And as the country’s preferences shift toward foods that not only taste better, but are better for you, Mohammed and Peterson believe that the brand’s “Smoothies With A Purpose.®” will be met with resounding success.
“Trinidadians love American brands and convenient food offerings, but there is a real gap in the better-for-you market here. Renee and I see an opportunity to cater to people making better decisions about what they put into their bodies,” Mohammed said. “Our country deserves to have an option like Smoothie King. It’s a brand that I grew up loving, and I think that consumers across Trinidad and Tobago will love it, too.”
Smoothie King is poised for international success due to its fine-tuned business model and high-quality products. Where Smoothie King differentiates itself from the competitors is in its narrow focus on marrying health and nutrition with flavor and convenience. It’s a unique blend of attributes that has helped the brand inspire customers since 1973.
Last year, Smoothie King continued to broaden its international scope after announcing plans to open locations in the Middle East and Vietnam—markets that were previously untapped. As of 2016, Smoothie King is currently located in the United States, Korea and Grand Cayman, and the brand is eyeing future development in Japan, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Australia and Brazil.
“We’re finding that people all over the world align with our mission to help guests in local communities live healthier and more active lifestyles, and I’m thrilled to welcome new partners who eat, sleep and breathe what Smoothie King stands for,” said Wan Kim, Smoothie King’s CEO. “I once was in a position very similar to Naveed and Renee—as a franchisee, I had the opportunity to introduce the first Smoothie King to South Korea. And much like Naveed and Renee, I’ve also had the honor of witnessing firsthand how we can inspire people across the world to make better choices and lead healthier lives as our brand continues to grow.”
To inquire about international franchising, please email International@smoothieking.com.
Media Contact
Lauren Kaminski – No Limit Agency
lauren@nolimitagency.com
312.526.3966
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Long before smoothies became widely available, Smoothie King was hard at work creating its own category—one where health and nutrition matter just as much as flavor and convenience. That’s a blend of attributes that Smoothie King CEO Wan Kim feels strongly positions the global chain for significant growth in an increasingly competitive niche. And so far, the brand’s first half of 2016 is a good indicator that Kim’s vision is right on track. From January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016, Smoothie King boasted a 12.4 percent increase in same-store sales. The innovative purveyors of “Smoothies With A Purpose®” also inked 53 franchise and area development agreements that will yield an additional 94 stores in the brand’s growing system of more than 790 units.
“At Smoothie King, we’ve always been proud to align what we say with what we do—and that’s building an extraordinary purpose-driven brand that’s an integral part in helping people live healthy and active lifestyles,” Kim said. “As we close out a successful first half of the year with impressive double-digit same-store sales, I feel strongly that this is still just the beginning for Smoothie King. We’re poised to inspire more people than ever before to lead a healthier life.”
Fueling the brand’s growth are six major area development agreements. During the first half of the year, new multi-unit area development agreements were signed for Chicago, Tucson, Dallas, Baltimore, Orlando and Virginia. Smoothie King also opened 39 new stores in 13 states across the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest.
“The number of openings and signings the brand executed in top development markets during the first half of 2016 highlights Smoothie King’s momentum —many of our current franchisees are seeing amazing sales and successes across the system, and they want to continue expanding with us. Interested candidates are eagerly joining the system to purchase open territories before they are sold out,” said Tom O’Keefe, Smoothie King’s President and Chief Operating Officer.
To aid in the brand’s ongoing expansion efforts, Smoothie King brought on Kevin King as the new Chief Development Officer in May. With a background working for well-known franchises including Domino’s Pizza and Papa Murphy’s, King will lead franchise development initiatives as the brand works toward its goal of having 1,000 locations open by the end of 2017.
The demand for Smoothie King is not only evident in its ongoing development strides, but in its latest widespread consumer praise, too. In April, Smoothie King was voted the No. 1 brand in the Limited-Service Restaurant Beverage-Snack category in the 2016 edition of Nation’s Restaurant News’ Consumer Picks issue. To win the title in this category, Smoothie King beat out brands like Krispy Kreme, Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts.
All of Smoothie King’s recent accolades come after more than 850 Smoothie King corporate team members, partner vendors and franchisees gathered in New Orleans for the brand’s 2016 Franchise Convention at the end of March. The brand featured its initiatives for the future, offered informative breakout sessions, featured an onsite vendor fair and showcased some of today’s best products in the health and wellness industry. The brand also recognizes its top performers with the King’s Club award, which is bestowed upon franchisees whose stores grossed $500,000 or more in annual sales. This year, 184 stores received this honor. In 2010, only 26 franchisees earned this award, showing more than 600% growth in five short years.
“What makes our brand so unique is a team that is focused on expansion. Reaching new markets and new guests is what we do every day to ensure we reach our vision: to be an integral part of every health and fitness plan,” Kim said. “This first half of 2016 puts Smoothie King on track to reach 1,000 locations globally by 2017, and with openings in Dubai and Trinidad and Tobago set for the third quarter, there is no stopping our international reach and expansion opportunities.”
Media Contact
Lauren Kaminski – No Limit Agency
lauren@nolimitagency.com
312.526.3966