Congratulations to Blake and Talia Baynham on the opening of their new Tropical Smoothie Café in Wellington, Florida! Blake previously worked in an orthopedic company working his way up from an Inventory Coordinator to National Sales Manager. After leaving the company, he opened an exercise franchise and became a valued member of his community. Both Blake and Talia have previous restaurant experience, Blake as a waiter and bartender and Talia as a bartender. They started a Tropical Smoothie Café in order to diversify their portfolio and they decided Tropical Smoothie Café was the best choice after being long time customers and brand fans. They like the variety of food options and healthy options that coincides with their healthy lifestyles. Stop in at 2803 US 441 Unit 200 today for a real-fruit smoothie and meal or snack!

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Tropical Smoothie Café, the leading fast casual café concept known for its better-for-you food and smoothies with a tropical twist, announced today it is aggressively targeting Baltimore, MD., for franchise growth. Over the next 3-5 years, the sandwich and smoothie franchise aims to open approximately 25 new locations throughout the state, including 10 in Baltimore. Tropical Smoothie Café currently has five restaurants open in Maryland in Columbia, Waldorf, Gambrills, Pikesville and Frederick.

Tropical Smoothie Café most recently opened the Frederick location at Market Square on Dec. 7. Additional cafés opened at Waugh Chapel in Grambrills and The Festival at Woodholme Shopping Center in Pikesville on Nov. 21 and Nov. 30, respectively. In January 2016, Tropical Smoothie Café will open another location on Elm Street in Bethesda Row (Bethesda, Md.). The brand is targeting additional communities for development next year, including Bowie, Ellicott City and Rockville, MD.

“Tropical Smoothie Café is incredibly well known in the Washington, D.C., metro area, where we have nearly three dozen locations. With so many people traveling between Washington and Baltimore every day, it makes sense for us to grow the brand in Baltimore,” said Kathy Benzing, director of franchise development and sales and area developer for Tropical Smoothie Café. “What really sets us apart and has been key to our success in markets like Northern Virginia is our food. We’re not afraid to be next door to other smoothie concepts because we don’t see them as true competitors. We’re a true fast casual brand much like Chipotle and Panera Bread.”

Woo Choi, a Tropical Smoothie Café franchisee who owns two locations in Columbia, Md., and Alexandria, Va., worked in information technology for over 20 years before deciding to become a franchise owner with Tropical Smoothie Café.

“I’ve always wanted to become an entrepreneur, so when the time came from me to make a decision I ventured out to Virginia with my brother-in-law to experience the true flavors of Tropical Smoothie Café,” said Choi. “Since joining the brand in 2008, I’ve had a great experience and have grown to operate two cafés. I love how we feel like a family and our support teams are always able to help guide us as we continue to grow.”

This year, the food and smoothie franchise plans to exceed 475 stores nationwide. The brand currently has franchise opportunities across the U.S. in markets such as Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, Texas, as well as Los Angeles and San Francisco, Calif., among others. By 2018, Tropical Smoothie Café plans to have 800 stores open across the U.S.

Tropical Smoothie Café is looking to add qualified franchisees to its growing brand. Candidates should have business experience; $100,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $300,000; and an initial investment of between $165,940 and $414,685. The healthy fast food franchise currently boasts an average unit volume (AUV) of more than $578,000 — the highest in the company’s 18-year history — with the top 50 percent reporting an AUV of $734,000.

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Tropical Smoothie Café, the leading fast casual café concept known for its better-for-you food and smoothies with a tropical twist, announced today it will open its first restaurant in Lake Forest, California, in mid-January. This is part of the brand’s aggressive franchise development plans for the state, which includes future locations in Rancho Cucamonga, Foothill Ranch, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch, Fountain Valley, Orange and Rancho Santa Margarita. Over the next five years, the food and smoothie franchise will open nearly two dozen cafés throughout Southern California.

“Opening our first cafés in California is a significant milestone for our 19-year-old brand,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Café. “We’re thrilled to be working with several franchisees who are committed to bringing Tropical Smoothie Café to California and are dedicated to helping us grow. Tropical Smoothie Café is a perfect fit for the Californian lifestyle and we’re confident these communities will embrace our brand and all that we have to offer. We look forward to continuing our franchise growth throughout the state over the next several years.”

Franchisee RanaKaran “R.K.” Sidhu is leading the expansion plans in Orange County with the first café in Lake Forest located at 23841 El Toro Road, Suite C – E127. The café’s grand opening event will be held on Jan. 29 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy a complimentary smoothie by participating in the ‘Smoothie Selfie’ offer. When guests arrive, they will be encouraged to share a ‘selfie’ of themselves with a smoothie on their favorite social media network and in exchange they will receive a free smoothie.

The cafés in California will feature Tropical Smoothie Café’s new menu, featuring toasted wraps and flatbreads, bowls, salads, house-made sides, all-day breakfast, a kids menu and, of course, the brand’s delicious smoothies. Guests can select from a menu of Superfood Smoothies that feature ingredients such as spinach, kale, acai, pomegranate, ginger and avocado; Supercharged Smoothies like the Chia Banana Boost and Muscle Blaster; and many more. Additionally, Tropical Smoothie Café offers a wide variety of supplements like probiotics and whey protein, as well as fresh add-ins like granola, whole grain oats and ginger.

Sidhu recently had become a franchise owner with Tropical Smoothie Café. Following medical school, he decided to follow his passion for real estate development and hospitality by joining his family’s business developing Hilton and Marriott properties across three states. Last year, Sidhu signed agreements to open 10 Tropical Smoothie Café locations in Orange County, as well as 10 in the Greater San Diego area. In February, Sidhu will open his second café in Foothill Ranch, followed by a third in Irvine.

“My decision to franchise with Tropical Smoothie Café was due in part to my family’s 20 years of experience in the industry and also to my lifestyle at the time. I had neglected my health and gained a lot of weight. When my friend introduced me to Tropical Smoothie Café, I immediately became an avid fan. With the help of Tropical Smoothie Cafe and regular exercise, the weight began to come off. Within a year, I had lost almost 95 pounds and began to see life in a new light,” Sidhu said. “After talking to corporate about franchising opportunities, I spent time looking at the competition in Southern California and talking to customers. I quickly realized no one offered anything close to the variety and quality of Tropical Smoothie Café.”

This year, the food and smoothie franchise plans to exceed 575 restaurants nationwide and sign 200 franchise agreements. The brand currently has franchise opportunities across the U.S. in markets such as Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., among others. By 2018, Tropical Smoothie Café plans to have 800 stores open across the U.S.

Tropical Smoothie Café is looking to add qualified franchisees to its growing brand. Candidates should have business experience; $100,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $300,000; and an initial investment of between $165,940 and $414,685. The healthy fast food franchise currently boasts an average unit volume (AUV) of more than $578,000 — the highest in the company’s 18-year history — with the top 50 percent reporting an AUV of $734,000.

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When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, healthier eating ranks high on the list. In 2016, Tropical Smoothie Café is offering numerous ways for guests to achieve their goals beginning with a unique live better smoothie line up and new flatbreads launching in January. All are designed to deliver the delicious, unique tastes the brand is known for with enough variety and extra benefits to help people kick-start the New Year on the right track.

“We know our customers are focused on health and wellness this time of year,” said Lisa Dimson, Chief Marketing Officer of Tropical Smoothie Café. “In addition to our current offerings guests will see several new better-for-you products. These options won’t force them to choose between flavor or good natured food, but rather will provide them with craveable options no matter the need.”

Fuel Up On Flavor

Tropical Smoothie Café will ring in 2016 with two new Latin-inspired flatbreads that are packed with hearty flavor and fulfilling ingredients, the Smoked Queso Chicken and Mojo Pork & Swiss. The Smoked Queso Chicken features lean grilled chicken, smoked jalapeño cheese, roasted kale, red onion, and red pepper. The Mojo Pork & Swiss is a tropical spin on the traditional Cuban sandwich with slow-roasted pulled pork, roasted pineapple salsa, crisp cabbage, zesty mustard, Swiss cheese, and bold mojo sauce. Both flatbreads are satisfying for the body and palate and available for a limited time only at participating locations.

Live Better With Smoothies

Tropical Smoothie Café will also be unveiling its Live Better Smoothie Lineup which consists of four smoothies purposefully designed to address guests’ top nutritional needs.  Arise and start the day with the Chia Banana Boost, a drinkable breakfast that offers an energy lift with many ingredients including roasted banana, chia seeds, whole grain oats, and even the option to add peanut butter or strawberries. Boost the immune system with orange, green apple, vitamin-C immune complex and more with the Immune Blast smoothie. Flaunt that hard earned muscle with the Chia Banana Max smoothie which aids the body in responding to exercise through whole grains, proteins, and fruits that are essential to building fat-burning muscle. Lastly, detox the body with the Detox Island Green smoothie which features five whole fruits and vegetables, including the ever-cleansing fresh ginger, so the body may perform at its peak condition.

“We want people to see that when you put good nutrition in to your body, what you get out of it is a healthier, happier, more vibrant you,” Dimson stated.

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It comes to no surprise to us that our CEO Mike Rotondo was recently named one to watch in 2016 by Franchise Times Magazine. Growing Tropical Smoothie Café to over 466 units and driving franchisee profitability is no small task. But alongside his experienced management team, Tropical Smoothie Café is now coast to coast and continues to strategically grow across the United States! Read the full article here.

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE’S MIKE ROTONDO

Mike Rotondo may be the textbook example of the new franchise leader. He took the reins of Tropical Smoothie Café seven-plus years ago, and turned it into an economically healthy concept with more than 460 units, where the café no longer takes a backseat to the smoothies. Not content to let him rest on his laurels, Tropical Smoothie’s owner, Buckhead Investment Partners in Atlanta, is charging Rotondo with doing the same job for Buckhead’s other franchise, Tin Drum, a fast-casual Asian concept with 13 units. The only difference is that Rotondo isn’t giving up his role at Tropical Smoothie, just adding the CEO job at Tin Drum to his plate as well. How’s he going to do both? “I have an incredible team,” he said. There will be shared resources, some in-house and some outsourced, which gives Tin Drum expertise most chains that size can’t afford. It’s an example of private equity offering more than just dollars to the brands they invest in—and a long-term approach to building a brand. In addition, Rotondo’s franchisee-centric approach—which includes regular communications with franchisees and tangible ways for them to make money—is one that should be emulated. “We need franchisees more than they need us,” he said. But will he stop at two hats? A CEO hat trick, anyone?

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Congratulations to Charles Kim on the opening of his Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Fairfax, Virginia. Charles has been employed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for over 13 years.  His current position is Deputy Director, Office of Petitions at USPTO.  Looking for extra income he purchased a  frozen yogurt café at Fairfax Town center.  After several years of operating the yogurt business he realized the seasonality of yogurt businesses was a challenge and began searching for a solid brand to covert his yogurt business to.  After exploring many brands a friend pointed him to Tropical Smoothie Café.  He liked the balanced mix of innovative food and smoothies, which meant he would not have to rely on a single product for sales and would eliminate seasonality concerns. Stop by 12164 Fairfax Towne Center, Suite 107A today for a real-fruit smoothie and meal or snack!

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Tropical Smoothie Café congratulates John Kuitwaard on the opening of his new café in Massapequa, New York! John began working in restaurants in high school, studied culinary arts and food service management at JWU and has worked exclusively for Metropolitan Food Service Inc. since graduating from college in 1994. John worked his way up through every aspect of the company to become president and owner. Along the way John owned two other restaurants, a bar & grill and coffee shop. Stop by 4946 Merrick Road today for a real-fruit smoothie and meal or snack.

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Sometimes the one thing that has the potential to change your life is right in front of your face. That was the certainly the case with RanaKaran Sidhu, or R.K. as his friends call him. Already a brand fan of Tropical Smoothie, he often went to the drive-through of his local Café to get a smoothie. One day, as he was handed his cup, he noticed “Franchise Opportunities Available” printed on it.

R.K. and his family are no strangers to franchising, as twenty-year veterans of franchising in the hospitality industry, with a portfolio of hotels. So, before he knew it he was in his car checking out the landscape—literally and figuratively—of Southern California to study the market for a Tropical Smoothie Café and scope out the competition. His two-week journey confirmed his high opinion of the brand.

“No one in all of Southern California offered a food and smoothie menu close to the variety and quality of Tropical Smoothie’s. And at a price that was affordable. Healthy shouldn’t be just for the wealthy. It should be for everyone who enjoys delicious food and want to lead a better life. On the drive back from California to Las Vegas, I knew I was going to develop the brand across California,” says R.K.

R.K.’s enthusiasm for the brand is reflected in his plans for franchise locations in two hot markets. He will develop ten Café’s in Orange County and another ten in San Diego.

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What’s in that taco you had for lunch? Was the lettuce grown locally? Is the beef grass-fed? Is the tortilla made with GMO corn?

Increasingly, these are the questions consumers want answered before they choose where they will spend their dining dollars.

A Zagat report released in September 2015 on fast-casual consumer preferences found that 19% of respondents said it was very important to them that fast casuals offer GMO-free food, with 35% saying it was somewhat important. In that same study, 14% said organic foods were very important, while 45% answered that they were at least somewhat important.

That is echoed by consumer behavior at the grocery store. Market research group, The Hartman Group, found that while shopping for food and beverages, 65% of those surveyed look for ingredients they recognize, and also look for food and beverages with the shortest list of ingredients.

With so much interest in food and health, restaurants are working hard to show their customers that eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. Tropical Smoothie Café’s number one selling smoothie by far is the Island Green, featuring spinach, mango, kale, banana, and pineapple. And the menu features fresh, flavorful food options like flatbreads, sandwiches and salads. There’s even breakfast options.

Like Tropical Smoothie Café, many fast-casual restaurants are even changing their store layouts to feature an open kitchen so customers can watch their dish being prepared and see the ingredients going into the food. Besides amping up the atmosphere and adding a little kitchen theater to your daily lunch spot, it tells consumers that these restaurants have nothing to hide.

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Tropical Smoothie Café, the leading fast casual café concept known for its better-for-you food and smoothies with a tropical twist, announced today its strongest year of growth in the brand’s 19-year history. The award-winning smoothie franchise reported same-store sales of 11.25 percent — its sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit positive comp sales — and signed franchise agreements to develop nearly 200 new cafés across the U.S., including about two dozen locations in Southern California. The brand’s first café in California will open this week in Lake Forest.

“Over the last six years, Tropical Smoothie Café has experienced incredible growth that’s taken our brand from 200 franchised locations to more than 465, and our average unit volume has grown by 44 percent. Coupled with some of our most successful limited-time menu items to date, such as the Avocolada Smoothie, Super Grain Bowls and Chia Banana Boost Smoothie, traffic and sales were up by 7.8 and 3.5 percent, respectively, over 2014,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Café. “In 2016, consumers and prospective franchisees can expect even more exciting things from our fast-growing brand, including a more modern store design and testing a new, completely customizable menu.”

This year, the food and smoothie franchise plans to open 100 restaurants nationwide and currently has franchise opportunities across the U.S. in markets such as Miami, Philadelphia, Boston, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Columbus and Charlotte, N.C., among others. By 2018, Tropical Smoothie Café plans to have 800 stores open across the U.S.

Tropical Smoothie Café is looking to add qualified franchisees to its growing brand. Candidates should have business experience; $125,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $350,000; and an initial investment of between $165,940 and $414,685. The healthy fast food franchise currently boasts an average unit volume (AUV) of more than $578,000 — the highest in the company’s 19-year history — with the top 50 percent reporting an AUV of $734,000.

Tropical Smoothie Café’s aggressive franchise growth is backed by the entrepreneurs at the BIP Franchise Accelerator, a division of venture capital firm BIP Capital, which invested in the brand in 2010. BIP Capital has invested more than $250 million in emerging, high-growth brands across the franchising, software, and technology and consumer products industries. BIP Capital created the BIP Franchise Accelerator to leverage its leadership team’s deep franchise experience to help emerging brands accelerate their growth. In addition to Tropical Smoothie Café, the BIP Franchise Accelerator’s portfolio includes Tin Drum Asiacafé, which has grown to 13 locations in Georgia and Florida.

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Congratulations to Mike Haines on the opening of his newest café in Suwanee, Georgia! Mike Haines joins Tropical Smoothie Café with previous experience working for Microsoft and Facebook. He is extremely entrepreneurial, which has helped guide his plan to open all 10 of his Tropical Smoothie Cafés. Mike Haines looks forward to sharing this experience with his wife and 3 daughters. Stop in today at 3320 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, Suite 1-A for a real-fruit smoothie and meal or snack!

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Tropical Smoothie Café is happy to announce their ranking in Entrepreneur’s 2016 list of Fastest-Growing Franchises of the Year. At number 62, Tropical Smoothie Café is the highest ranked food and smoothie franchise. With 199 franchise agreements signed in 2015 for new cafés throughout the US and six consecutive quarters of double-digit positive comp sales, Tropical Smoothie Café is seeing the strongest growth in their 19-year history. The healthy fast-food franchise currently boasts an average unit volume of more than $578,000, with the top 50 percent reporting an average unit volume of $734,000.

“Over the last six years, Tropical Smoothie Café has experienced incredible growth that’s taken our brand from 200 franchised locations to more than 465, and our average unit volume has grown by 44 percent. Coupled with some of our most successful limited-time menu items to date, such as the Avocolada Smoothie, Super Grain Bowls and Chia Banana Boost Smoothie, comp store sales were up by 11.3 percent, respectively, over 2014,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Café. “In 2016, consumers and prospective franchisees can expect even more exciting things from our fast-growing brand, including a more modern store design and a new, completely customizable menu.”

When interviewing executives on their secret sauce to growth, the key takeaway from Entrepreneur was people – take care of people and the numbers take care of themselves – and Tropical Smoothie Café couldn’t agree more. Tropical Smoothie Café is passionate about putting the proper systems in place for their franchisees to succeed. “They’ve got it figured out, and I just have to rely on the systems they have in place, and follow it,” said multi-unit Franchise Owner Ray Howell. He has gone from being a single store owner of Tropical Smoothie Café to now owning five Cafés in the Naples, FL area.

Want to learn more about becoming a Tropical Smoothie Café Franchise Owner? Candidates should have business experience; $125,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $350,000; and an initial investment of between $195,550 and $427,130.

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Congratulations to the Sidhu family on the opening of their first Tropical Smoothie Café in California! This is the first of 20 locations the Sidhu family plans to open in California, 10 in Orange County and 10 in San Diego. Learn more about their Tropical Smoothie story here and be sure to visit their new location at 41 Auto Center Drive Suite 109A, Foothill Ranch, CA 92610.

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Join Tropical Smoothie Café in celebrating the opening of Hani Halloun’s café in Hartland, Michigan. Hani was excited to open the doors to his location on Saturday, January 30th. Stop in at 10006 West Highland Road for a tropical food experience from bold-flavored meals or snacks to real-fruit smoothies.

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Congratulations to Kevin Bartlett and Patrick Bode on the opening of their Tropical Smoothie Café in Palos Hills, Illinois. Kevin and Patrick opened the doors to their café on February 8th, 2016. Come on in and enjoy a wrap or sandwich with one of our real-fruit smoothies!

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Oubab Khalil and Mustafa Sardini opened their new Tropical Smoothie Café in Bethesda, Maryland on February 8th, 2016. Both Oubab and Mustafa were excited for their grand opening and to share the experience with their customers. Congratulations Oubab and Mustafa! Stop in today at 4731A Elm Street for a real-fruit smoothie and meal or snack!

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Kimberly Rego has been affiliated with Tropical Smoothie Café for 13+ years, first as an Area Developer and then as a franchisee. We are excited to congratulate her on her third location in Fort Pierce, FL. Stop by and welcome her to the neighborhood – 3211 South US Highway 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34982.

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Rylan Miller was first introduced to Tropical Smoothie at our Virginia location in 2007, and it was love at first bite. Partnering with his friend and fellow Veteran, Roberto (Gus) Laben, they’re now ready to share the flavors with Myrtle Beach. Their first café just opened (1400 Highway 17 N. Unit 4, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582) and the search is on to find a site for the second location. Their military experience has equipped them with transferable skills to successfully follow the Tropical Smoothie Café franchise system. Congratulations to Rylan and Roberto!

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Congratulations to Paul Dudgeon on the opening of his 28th Tropical Smoothie Café location. Paul opened his first franchise in 1993 and since then has been responsible for the opening of over 80 franchise locations, 28 of those belonging to Tropical Smoothie Café.

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Vimal Patel is the proud owner of five Tropical Smoothie locations found in Virginia. He is excited to share that he is also involved with the process of opening two additional Tropical Smoothie Cafés in Virginia. Congratulations Vimal!

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