NEW ORLEANS, LA — Smoothie King, the leader of the booming smoothie segment, has been raising the bar in the increasingly popular industry for more than 40 years. With the brand’s mission to inspire consumers to live a healthy and active lifestyle, the company is able to reach new guests by supporting passionate franchise owners to open new locations in communities across the world. And now, Smoothie King is celebrating a major milestone: its 800th store is opening for business.

The 800th Smoothie King location will start serving customers “Smoothies With a Purpose.®” on Tuesday, August 2 at 7343 West Sand Lake Road in Orlando, Florida. To celebrate the grand opening, franchisees Todd and Lorraine Pater will give away 800 20-ounce smoothies. Smoothie King will also deliver free smoothies to police stations and first responders in Orlando, Winter Park, Oviedo, Lake Mary and Windermere.

“My vision is for Smoothie King to help more and more guests around the world achieve their nutrition and fitness goals by using our products to live a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Wan Kim, Smoothie King’s Owner and Chief Executive Officer. “Our pace of opening new locations shows that our strategic development efforts are working in highly competitive markets, and this milestone store is a precursor to where the brand is going in the future. Crossing the 800-unit mark is a major achievement that takes us one step closer to reaching our goal to have 1,000 locations open by the end of 2017.”

The Paters first became familiar with the brand while living in Houston, Texas, where the brand has more than 60 locations. They were instantly hooked on the product and became frequent Smoothie King customers. However, when they moved to Florida, they noticed that there weren’t as many Smoothie King stores in the market. So they inked a multi-unit development deal that will ultimately bring 12 locations to the state.

“The community here is really embracing the Smoothie King brand. Our first location has only been open for a few weeks, and we’re seeing sales increase every day,” said Todd Pater. “We’re incredibly excited to celebrate this milestone with the brand and give back to the community with this special celebration. It’s a great time to be a franchisee with Smoothie King, and with our current plans to develop a total of 12 stores, we are a clear example that Smoothie King is in rapid growth mode.”

Smoothie King’s 800th store opening comes as the brand celebrates a strong start to the year. In the first half of 2016, the brand boasted a 12.4 percent increase in same-store sales. Smoothie King also opened 44 new stores in 13 states across the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest. That brand’s growth is still going strong—year to date, Smoothie King has signed 64 franchise and area development agreements that will add another 105 stores to the system. That means the brand is on pace to meet or exceed its goal of opening 1,000 units by the end of 2017.

Multi-unit development — like the Paters’ agreement in Orlando — is fueling a lot of that impressive growth. Between January and June, Smoothie King signed multi-unit area development deals in Chicago, Tucson, Dallas, Baltimore and Virginia. As the brand moves forward into the second half of 2016, it will continue to build on that momentum by expanding its reach in new markets, both domestically and internationally.

“Now that our 800th unit is officially opening its doors, we’re looking ahead to the next major development milestone. And more importantly, we are looking forward to bringing ‘Smoothies With a Purpose.®’ to new markets and guests all over the world,” Kim said. “Bringing our products to new communities gives us the opportunity to help people reach their fitness and nutrition goals by living a healthy and active lifestyle.”

Media Contact

Lauren Kaminski – No Limit Agency
lauren@nolimitagency.com
312.526.3966

NEW ORLEANS, (April 18, 2016) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 750 stores worldwide, today announced a new partnership with two of the top female professional beach volleyball players in the United States. Brooke Sweat and Emily Day have joined forces with Smoothie King to launch a new line of Summer Hydration smoothies. As athletes at the top of their sport, Day and Sweat embody Smoothie King’s mission to inspire a healthy and active lifestyle. The athletes will share their purpose with Smoothie King guests through social media, in store appearances and community events. (Dates and locations to be announced.)

Sweat, 30, is originally from Fort Meyers, Fla. and trains in Hermosa Beach, Calif. She placed fifth at the 2015 Beach World Championship with partner Lauren Fendrick and was twice voted the AVP Best Defensive Player in 2013 and 2014. Day, 28, grew up in Torrance, Calif. and also trains in Hermosa Beach. She finished 17th at the Beach World Championships with partner Jennifer Kessy and won her second AVP title (with Kessy) at the New York City Open in July 2015.

“We couldn’t have found two more inspiring athletes to partner with for our Summer Hydration line,” said Chris Miller, Vice President of Marketing for Smoothie King. “Brooke and Emily are both fighting for the opportunity to represent our country on the world’s biggest athletic stage. We’re excited to follow their journey and share it with our guests.”

Smoothie King’s new Summer Hydration line will feature four new smoothies including Watermelon Hydrator, Strawberry Mango Hydrator, Passion Peach Hydrator, and Watermelon X-Treme. Naturally hydrating, all are blended with coconut water and strawberries and provide more potassium (an important electrolyte to help stay hydrated) than the leading sports drink. For more information, visit localhost:10369/.

Media Contact

Susanna Kalnes
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114

NEW ORLEANS, (May 2016) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 750 stores worldwide, will launch a new line of Summer Hydration Smoothies at all store locations on May 23, 2016. Replenishing fluids better than water, all four of the new smoothies will be blended with coconut water and strawberries and provide more potassium (an important electrolyte to help you stay hydrated) than the leading sports drinks.

“When we develop and launch new smoothies, our goal is to fulfill a specific purpose for our guests,” said Davis Jaeger, Food Scientist for Smoothie King. “Hydration in the hot, summer months – particularly through high-powered summer activities – was the driving purpose behind this line. Blended with coconut water, which has naturally hydrating power, these smoothies are also high in vitamin C. Our guests will be mentally and physically prepared to take on the summer heat.”

As part of the summertime launch, Smoothie King will be enlisting the support of two well-known, professional beach volleyball players, Brooke Sweat and Emily Day. As athletes at the top of their sport, Sweat and Day embody Smoothie King’s mission to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. The athletes will share their purpose with Smoothie King guests through social media, in-store appearances and community events. (Dates and locations to be announced.)

The Summer Hydration Line will feature the following four smoothies.
• Watermelon Hydrator: Strawberries, Watermelon Juice Blend, Coconut Water, Lemon Juice Blend, Turbinado, Protein Blend
• Strawberry Mango Hydrator: Strawberries, Mango Juice Blend, Mango Sorbet, Coconut Water, Water, Electrolyte Mix
• Passionfruit Peach Hydrator: Peaches, Strawberries, Coconut Water, Passion Fruit Juice Blend, Turbinado, Electrolyte Mix
• Watermelon X-Treme: Strawberries, Watermelon Juice Blend, Coconut Water Turbinado, Protein Blend

The watermelon juice blend and coconut water will be making their debut as ingredients for the brand. Watermelon will be a limited time flavor option, while coconut water will be a permanent addition guests can add to any smoothie. The Summer Hydration Smoothies range from 260–360 calories per 20 oz. cup and are fat free, cholesterol free and low in sodium. For more information, visit localhost:10369/.

Media Contact

Susanna Kalnes
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114

NEW ORLEANS, (April 18, 2016) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 750 stores worldwide, today announced a new partnership with two of the top female professional beach volleyball players in the United States. Brooke Sweat and Emily Day have joined forces with Smoothie King to launch a new line of Summer Hydration smoothies. As athletes at the top of their sport, Day and Sweat embody Smoothie King’s mission to inspire a healthy and active lifestyle. The athletes will share their purpose with Smoothie King guests through social media, in store appearances and community events. (Dates and locations to be announced.)

Sweat, 30, is originally from Fort Meyers, Fla. and trains in Hermosa Beach, Calif. She placed fifth at the 2015 Beach World Championship with partner Lauren Fendrick and was twice voted the AVP Best Defensive Player in 2013 and 2014. Day, 28, grew up in Torrance, Calif. and also trains in Hermosa Beach. She finished 17th at the Beach World Championships with partner Jennifer Kessy and won her second AVP title (with Kessy) at the New York City Open in July 2015.

“We couldn’t have found two more inspiring athletes to partner with for our Summer Hydration line,” said Chris Miller, Vice President of Marketing for Smoothie King. “Brooke and Emily are both fighting for the opportunity to represent our country on the world’s biggest athletic stage. We’re excited to follow their journey and share it with our guests.”

Smoothie King’s new Summer Hydration line will feature four new smoothies including Watermelon Hydrator, Strawberry Mango Hydrator, Passion Peach Hydrator, and Watermelon X-Treme. Naturally hydrating, all are blended with coconut water and strawberries and provide more potassium (an important electrolyte to help stay hydrated) than the leading sports drink. For more information, visit localhost:10369/.

Media Contact

Susanna Kalnes
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114

NEW ORLEANS, (March 18, 2016) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 750 stores worldwide, will launch a new Veggie Avocado Pineapple smoothie at all store locations on April 4, 2016. The new smoothie will be an extension of Smoothie King’s popular Veggie Blends line, which features vegetables like kale and carrot.

“Green smoothies are more popular now than ever before,” said Brooke Alpert, Smoothie King’s nutrition consultant. “By blending vegetables like carrots and kale into smoothies with fruits like pineapple and kiwi, people are consuming the extra fiber and nutrients veggies provide, while satisfying their taste buds. It’s a win-win, particularly for Smoothie King guests who don’t eat enough veggies otherwise.”

The Veggie Avocado Pineapple smoothie has 460 calories (for a 20 oz. cup), is an excellent source of dietary fiber, is high in vitamins A, C, iron, and potassium, and is a good source of protein and calcium. The Veggie Avocado Pineapple smoothie, which features additional ingredients like pineapple, carrot and kale, provides one full serving of fruits and vegetables and is naturally gluten free. Other Veggie Blends smoothies on the Smoothie King menu include Berry Carrot Dream, Apple Kiwi Kale, and Carrot Kale Dream. For more information, visit www.SmoothieKing.com.

Media Contact

Susanna Kalnes – Snackbox
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114

NEW ORLEANS, (February 11, 2016) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 750 stores worldwide, has launched a new social media campaign to help guests find the best smoothie for their personal health and wellness purpose. The campaign, called “Smoothie Soulmate,” reinforces the Smoothie King brand message that each smoothie is blended with a purpose. The initiative will encourage guests to take a short quiz on social media that will lead them to find their “Smoothie Soulmate,” or the best smoothie based on their nutritional needs.

“Smoothie King’s mission is to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle, and with each smoothie blended with a specific purpose guests can reach their healthy and active lifestyle no matter which purpose they choose whether to slim down, increase muscle tone, consume more veggies, or something else,” said Katherine LeBlanc, Marketing and Communications Manger at Smoothie King. “The Smoothie Soulmate quiz is a fun and interactive way to reiterate that message and allow people to make find their perfect when they visit our stores.”

The Smoothie Soulmate campaign will launch, appropriately, prior to Valentine’s Day 2016. It can be found on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SmoothieKing or online at localhost:10369/.

Media Contact

Susanna Kalnes – Snackbox
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114

NEW ORLEANS – Smoothie King, the New Orleans based innovator of the smoothie segment, closed 2015 with 78 signed agreements to develop 152 new units. With 774 units behind them and plans to open 123 more locations in 2016, the brand is well on its way to achieve its goal of having 1,000 open locations by the end of 2017.

“With another successful year coming to a close, Smoothie King’s steady 50% growth trajectory is only quickening. At this rate, we’re on pace and projected to open more locations by the end of this year over last year,” said Wan Kim, CEO of Smoothie King. “Since I purchased the company in July of 2012, we have had positive same-store-sales for 41 out of 42 months. The success of 2015 marks six consecutive years of impressive growth, ending the year with a strong 9.8 percent same-store-sales increase over 2014. We also had a magnificent fourth quarter, recording a striking 11.9 percent same-store-sales increase compared to Q4 of 2014.”

2015 saw 86 new locations open, which is 24 more than in 2014. Smoothie King also broadened its international scope after confirming plans to open locations in the Middle East and Vietnam—markets that were previously untapped.

“We’re finding that people all over the world align with our mission to help guests in local communities everywhere live healthier and more active lifestyles,” Kim said. “We started out with this mission and have been fortunate to find terrific partners who eat, breathe and sleep this mission. This alignment in mentality has helped us to be successful in each new market we open in, as well as overall as a brand.”

According to Smoothie King Franchise Development Manager Stephen Foley, the brand’s strategy is to take new markets that have been successful, and build around them to increase brand presence and gain market share. This strategy proved to be successful as this year was marked by another important milestone—signings and openings in two key growth targets: Illinois and New Jersey.

As a previously untouched market for the brand, Chicago’s cultural influences in various areas like sports, film, theater, music and food—along with its 2.7 million residents—make it a unique opportunity for Smoothie King’s continuous development. The market has potential for 85 new locations in the city proper and surrounding Chicagoland suburbs, and with two franchisee groups already signing multi-unit deals, Smoothie King believes its aggressive expansion plan for the area will put the brand even closer to its 1,000-unit goal.

With a secure foothold in the South and significant progress with new deals in the Midwest, Smoothie King is also climbing up the East Coast with New Jersey targeted as another major hub for growth. The brand currently has 12 open locations in the state, with a few additional locations in development, and a plethora of open territories ripe for candidates interested in joining the growing brand.

“We have such a unique opportunity in New Jersey and Illinois because they’re wide-open markets for us and they’re also markets where there is a demand for our product,” Foley said. “Because of the extremely populated areas and lack of quality smoothie options in each market area, we believe that opening in these states will help Smoothie King continue to achieve record-breaking growth.”

This year, Smoothie King aims to sign 150 franchise agreements, with plans to target additional territories including Denver, Boston, Virginia, Washington D.C., New York and Philadelphia.

“The franchise opportunity with Smoothie King allows business owners to operate a brand that coincides with their own personal mission to live a healthy and active lifestyle,” Kim said. “As the company enters its 43rd year in business, I am pleased to see that ‘smoothies with a purpose’ have proved to leave a lasting effect on communities across the world. As we continue to add more franchises, we’re looking forward to impacting the lives of both our guests and our franchisees.”

Media Contact

Lauren Kaminski – No Limit Agency
lauren@nolimitagency.com
312.526.3966

NEW ORLEANS, (December 9, 2015) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 750 stores worldwide, will be launching a new, regionally-inspired smoothie at more than 120 Smoothie King stores in the Gulf Coast area starting in early January. The “King Cake Smoothie” will be available from January 6, 2016 (King’s Day) through February 9, 2016 (Mardi Gras Day).

“New Orleans is Smoothie King’s hometown. This is where it all began for us,” said Wan Kim, Owner and CEO of Smoothie King. “The King Cake Smoothie gives people a delicious and nutritious option during Carnival season, while celebrating our hometown roots.”

The King Cake smoothie is available with Smoothie King’s proprietary Gladiator® Protein or with Frozen Yogurt and also includes almond milk, bananas, ground cinnamon, almond and vanilla extract. The Gladiator version has 49g of protein, is only 350 calories for a 20 oz. cup, and has 23g of sugar and 3g of fiber. It’s high in protein, Vitamins A, C, D, E and B-12 and is a good source of fiber. The Frozen Yogurt version is also available as a 12 oz. Kids Cup. The King Cake Smoothie will be available at participating Smoothie King stores in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Media Contact

Susanna Kalnes – Snackbox
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114

NEW ORLEANS, (October 28, 2015) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 750 stores worldwide, today announced its plans to bring back the franchise’s popular Dark Chocolate Smoothies this holiday season. Three Dark Chocolate smoothies – Dark Chocolate Strawberry, Dark Chocolate Mint, and NEW Dark Chocolate Spice – are made with Ghirardelli chocolate and will be available for a limited time only beginning November 15th.

“Let’s face it, during the holidays, we are going to indulge a little,” said Brooke Alpert, Nutrition Consultant for Smoothie King. “That’s why these Dark Chocolate Smoothies are so wonderful from my perspective. They allow you to enjoy delicious holiday flavors without all of the guilt we typically feel from eating other treats like pies, cookies and cakes. Smoothies are a much better option this time of year.”

Smoothie King’s Dark Chocolate Smoothies are all under 320 calories for a 20-ounce cup (oh, what a sweet surprise)! The limited time dark chocolate offering will be featured on the menu at all Smoothie King locations from November 15 through February 29, 2015.

Dark Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

Dark Chocolate Mint Smoothie

NEW Dark Chocolate Spice Smoothie

Media Contact

Susanna Kalnes – Snackbox
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114

NEW ORLEANS (October 1, 2015) — Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the leading smoothie franchise company with more than 750 stores worldwide, will be launching a new line of smoothies on October 5, 2015. Immune Builder Smoothies, which will be part of the Wellness Blend category on the menu, feature Smoothie King’s Herbal Immune Enhancer and are designed to support your body’s defenses during the changing seasons.

“Smoothie King’s Immune Builder Smoothies are packed with more than two-thousand percent of your daily vitamin C,” said Brooke Alpert, Nutrition Consultant for Smoothie King. “The smoothies are a convenient way to load up on vitamins and nutrients when the weather starts to turn.”

Smoothie King’s Immune Builder Smoothies come in two flavors: Mixed Berry and Orange. Both smoothies are high in Vitamins A, C, E, Zinc and Selenium, are a good source of calcium and fiber, are free of cholesterol and saturated fat, and feature an Herbal Immune Enhancer. To see a full list of ingredients, visit www.SmoothieKing.com.

Media Contact

Susanna Kalnes – Snackbox
Susanna@snackbox.us
708.494.1114