Tropical Smoothie Cafe is about more than just delicious smoothies and fresh, flavorful food. Over the past ten years, we’ve donated nearly $3.7 million to Camp Sunshine, an organization that provides camp experiences for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, completely free of charge.

This year marks Tropical Smoothie’s 10^th anniversary partnership with Camp Sunshine. To mark the occasion, we’ve set a goal of raising an additional $1M, the most prominent effort being the annual holiday, National Flip Flop Day, created solely to support Camp Sunshine.

“National Flip Flop Day is the single most important day of the year to Tropical Smoothie Cafe,” explained Jennie Hong, Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Strategy for the brand. The tradition will continue of giving free 24 oz. Jetty Punch smoothies to any guest wearing flip flops between 2-7:00 PM on June 17^th.

Other “fun-raising” efforts will include in-store donations between $1-4 being marked by a paper flip flop sign that will hang in the restaurants, customized with guests’ names. New this year, a Flip Flop Key Fob will be available to guests making donations between $5-9. The fob will give guests a 30% discount to be used at feelgoodz.com, an all-natural flip flop company, who will also be donating 10% of all related purchases to Camp Sunshine. Those wishing to make a bigger donation can do so through the purchase of a $10 limited edition reusable mug, featuring artwork designed by a previous Camp Sunshine camper.

Help Tropical Smoothie Cafe share the sunshine by participating in this year’s events. “We’ve seen first-hand how much Camp Sunshine means to the kids and families who attend, and we want to provide that opportunity to as many people as possible,” Hong said.

Join the franchise that cares. Become a Tropical Smoothie Cafe Franchise Owner.

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe has been experiencing tremendous growth. One location in particular is a big milestone for the brand. Franchise Owners, Salem Najjar and John Abuaita, are opening their first Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Westland, Michigan, marking the brand’s 500^th location.

“We are thrilled to join forces with such a dynamic brand. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a much healthier alternative to most of the fast casual restaurants currently in the market, and we are eager to introduce this concept to the Westland community,” said Najjar.

The duo plans to open at least six additional locations throughout the greater Detroit area. “Detroit’s economy has been on the upswing, and we’re thrilled to be expanding into a market with substantial opportunity for economic development. We look forward to continuing to grow throughout the area over the next several years and make it easier for residents to have access to affordable, healthier alternatives,” Najjar said.

Grand opening celebrations on Monday, June 13, will include free samples and giveaways, as well as deals on food and smoothies. Starting at 10 AM, the first 106 guests in line will receive raffle tickets for a chance to win free smoothies for a year, an Apple TV, and gaming systems. The restaurant will also host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4 PM attended by the City of Westland Mayor, William Wild.

Speaking about the brand’s growth, CEO Mike Rotondo said, “Over the last five years, we’ve grown from a regional, 200-unit chain to a national, award-winning fast casual brand and I couldn’t be more proud of our Franchise Owners and Corporate Support Team for driving this success.”

Stop by the newest location at 35599 Warren Road to help kick off the grand opening and to welcome Salem and John to the area!

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Franchisee Mark Lukachko believes hard work and dedication to the company are two of the basic ingredients that promote business success. With these two ingredients in mind, Mark has opened an additional Nevada Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Las Vegas. We are excited to see his Cafes grow and look forward to him bringing more Cafes to the area in the future!

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It has been a great year for Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisee, Nick Crouch. Nick was recently named Franchisee of the Year for his successes as a TSC Franchise Owner and his dedication to the brand, and now he is opening his latest Cafe in Palm Coast, Florida. Tropical Smoothie is very excited that Nick is continuing to grow with the brand. Congrats, Nick!

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe would like to congratulate Frank and his wife Cindy Mirabella on the opening of their Cafe in Staten Island, New York. This duo joins the Tropical Smoothie Cafe team with years of prior restaurant experience, as well as business leadership experience. Their son will also help run the Staten Island Cafe, and they already have plans for success as they will be hiring a part time manager to assist with the location.

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Robert Good is the proud owner of one of the newest Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations! Robert currently owns a successful State Farm Insurance Agency in California and he felt it was time to start a new business adventure. His daughter will also be helping run the Cafe and having 7 years of experience in the franchise world, the two have great skill sets to bring to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe team. Robert is excited to have daily interaction with his customers and build a strong team of employees. Congrats!

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Amidst the excitement surrounding National Flip Flop Day on June 17^th, Tropical Smoothie was featured on Extra with Mario Lopez. We are proud of our 10-year partnership with Camp Sunshine, who provide retreat experiences for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. All 500 Tropical Smoothie locations participated in this year’s event with customers encouraged to donate throughout the month of June.

Watch our CEO, Mike Rotondo in the full clip here.

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What’s on the menu at restaurants these days seems to be technology, with new apps giving consumers the ability to mobile-pay, digital order and earn rewards.

This reflects a trend recently cited in National Restaurant Association research that show that nearly one-quarter of consumers say that technology options are an important factor in deciding which restaurant to go to.

For fast casual restaurants like Tropical Smoothie Cafe, these offerings aren’t tech for tech’s sake, but rather a way to connect with customers, improve their experience, and reward their loyalty.

The Tropical Rewards app was introduced in May and the results have been outstanding with guest visits increasing from every nine days to every five days, within a month of customers downloading the app.

Read more in the National Restaurant Association article here and download the Tropical Smoothie app here.

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When looking for areas of expansion a few years ago, Tropical Smoothie Cafe set their sights on Houston. Data showed that not only was Texas a leading state in restaurant sales, but Houston was outpacing many of the U.S.’s largest cities in restaurant growth.

Three years and three deals later, Houston will soon see new Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations popping up over the next year. Franchise Owner, Vanessa Boles will open her location in September, Jignesh Patel will open his second location in January 2017, and Dexter Rivera is aiming for a Spring 2017 opening.

“I’m thrilled to be joining a brand that is dedicated to its customer and to its franchisees,” said Rivera. “I’ve considered many different franchise concepts as a first-time Franchise Owner, but none like Tropical Smoothie Cafe. The incredible network of franchisees backed by decades of franchise experience, along with the brand’s commitment to quality service, made the decision to franchise an easy one for me. I look forward to contributing to the success of the brand in Houston and growing our presence in Texas in the years to come.”

After reporting the strongest year of the brand’s growth in 2016, the Houston locations mark continued progress for the brand. With over 500 Cafes currently open, Tropical Smoothie aims to have 800 locations by 2018.

“We’re thrilled with the brand’s growth in the first quarter and are optimistic that the second quarter will be even better as we continue to align ourselves with new franchise partners who share our passion for meeting the rising demand of better-for-you food choices and healthier lifestyles in markets across the U.S.,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

Read more on the Tropical Smoothie Cafe openings is Houston here.

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Mike Philip purchased three existing Tropical Smoothie Cafe (TSC) businesses three months ago and already he is on track to open three more. Perhaps three is his lucky number?

His decision to add TSC to his business portfolio, along with his existing Einstein Bagels franchise, was motivated by our unique brand position and niche within the fast casual industry.

“I think our Cafes speak to the values that our customers hold. They want fresh, healthy food that tastes great and is good for you,” said Philip.

Something else that customers and owners alike also want is quick, efficient service. That’s where Tropical Smoothie’s new technology is making a difference.

“With our online ordering app we can get people in and out quicker and serve more customers even faster. When the experience is better, people want to come back more often. As an owner, it is easy to see the benefits technology brings to the bottom line,” said Philip.

The Tropical Rewards app is just one of the new technologies being employed by Tropical Smoothie. Other advances include a high-powered POS system and more robust intranet capabilities.

“These recent innovations align with Tropical Smoothie’s Mission to focus on unit economics in order to help make our Franchise Owners more successful and profitable,” said Tropical Smoothie CEO Mike Rotondo.

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Blacksburg, Virginia is now home to Jonathan Cash’s second Tropical Smoothie Cafe location! Jon’s first Cafe is also in Virginia and the location has been very successful. Congratulations to Jon as he continues to grow with Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Stop by the newest Cafe for a fresh smoothie and snack.

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The franchise industry is crowded with options, but thankfully QSR Magazine is here to help. Annually, they endure the hard work of sorting through the competition to find the best of the best. They base their research on a wide range of factors including franchisee satisfaction surveys, management team experience, litigation history, average startup costs, unit growth, marketplace niche, momentum, and more, then compile a list of the top 10 franchise deals in the industry.

We are honored to have landed a spot on this year’s list. The article credits CEO Mike Rotondo with giving Tropical Smoothie Cafe a renewed energy through his efforts in engaging Franchise Owners, incorporating technology to establish ease throughout the system, and helping the brand reach the highest Average Unit Volume (AUV) in its 19 year history.

Over the last two years, the brand opened nearly 130 new locations, signed agreements to open 200 more locations across the U.S., and celebrated the opening of their 500^th location just last month.

Rotondo and his team aren’t stopping there as they lead efforts on the release of a mobile ordering and payment app and a cafe management tool to help drive store sales, traffic and profitability.

It’s been an awesome year for Tropical Smoothie Cafe and we are proud to place this award in our virtual trophy case next to other recent awards:

• #62 Fastest-Growing Franchises of the Year by Entrepreneur
• #399 2016 Franchise 500 by Entrepreneur
• #17 20 to Watch by Franchise Times
• #34 Fast & Serious by Franchise Times
• Top Franchises 2016 by Franchise Business Review
• #32 Best for Vets: Franchises 2016 by Military Times
• #6 Top 100 Franchises of 2016 by Franchise Gator
• #46 Fastest Growing Franchises 2016 by Franchise Gator
• #37 2016 Pacesetters by Atlanta Business Chronicle
• #5 Top 100 Movers & Shakers- Top 75 Brands by FastCasual.com
• Top 100 Movers & Shakers- Top 25 Executives by FastCasual.com
• #135 Top 500 Chains by Restaurant Business
• Best Franchise Deals by QSR Magazine

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe, the leading fast casual Cafe concept known for its better-for-you food and smoothies with a tropical twist, announced today tremendous success in the first half of 2016. Following a year where the company experienced the strongest growth in its 19-year history, the momentum is continuing as the sandwich and smoothie franchise reported a 6.4 percent increase in same-store sales and signed franchise agreements to develop 80 new Cafes across the U.S., including in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Charleston, Houston and Dallas.

“In 2015, we experienced a record-setting year thanks to our ongoing menu innovation and unwavering commitment from our franchisees and employees. We started this year with the same vigor and have already achieved tremendous success as we hit the half-way mark,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. “With a strong franchise development pipeline, enticing limited-time menu items and evolving technology with continued use of our new mobile ordering and payment app, we’re on track to reach our goal of exceeding 550 restaurants this year and further establishing Tropical Smoothie Cafe as a leader in the marketplace.”

Among new franchise developers are Dusty Veach, Nathan Miller and Jake Miller who will own and operate five new Albuquerque Cafes, with plans to expand into the Santa Fe and Farmington areas over the next several years. Entrepreneurs Calei and Kodei Kesterson also have joined the Tropical Smoothie Cafe team, and have plans to open three new cafés in Dallas this year. Experienced restaurateurs Marc Rodenbaugh, Alex Corbishley, Lawrence Rodenbaugh and Kevin Lawler, who make up RL Investments, also signed an agreement to own and operate a new Cafe in Charleston, which will mark the second in the area.

This year, the food and smoothie franchise plans to exceed 550 restaurants nationwide. The brand currently has franchise opportunities across the U.S. in markets such as Miami, Philadelphia, Boston, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Columbus and Charlotte, among others. By 2018, Tropical Smoothie Cafe plans to have 800 units open across the U.S.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe 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 $210,550 and $478,550. The healthy fast food franchise currently boasts an average unit volume (AUV) of more than $634,000 — the highest in the company’s 19-year history — with the top 50 percent reporting an AUV of more than $806,000*.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe’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 Cafe, the BIP Franchise Accelerator’s portfolio includes Tin Drum Asian Kitchen, which has grown to 11 locations in Georgia.

Read the original press release here.

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Tropical Smoothie is excited to share that dedicated franchisee Glen Johnson has now opened a new Cafe in Little Rock, Arkansas. Glen owns over 20 Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations, and we are ecstatic with his growth and commitment to the Tropical Smoothie brand. Learn more about Glen Johnson’s story here.

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Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN) has been reporting on the food service industry since 1967. Everything from small town shop creations to large chain transactions can be found in their content. NRN has released their annual report 2016 Second 100: A look at the 10 Fastest-Growing Chains, and we are excited to share that Tropical Smoothie Cafe has been named number six on this list! Read the full article about Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s growth over the last year, here.

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe, the leading fast casual cafe concept known for its better-for-you food and smoothies with a tropical twist, recently kicked off a prominent brand refresh in an effort to reflect the company’s evolution since its founding in 1997. The rebranding is propelled by the rollout of a new restaurant design at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations nationwide, which exudes a relaxed coastal atmosphere and was designed to enhance the consumer experience and better align the dining environment with the brand’s culture.

“As Tropical Smoothie Cafe continued growing and evolving over the past several years, it became obvious to us that our brand’s image needed to follow suit. We launched this rebranding in an effort to ensure every location nationwide reflects our company’s vibrant and engaging personality while communicating the right message to consumers, and we’re thrilled that our new restaurant design has accomplished that goal,” said Mike Rotondo, chief executive officer of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. “Unveiling the new design successfully invigorated the face of our brand and helped us create a dining experience that truly conveys the essence of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and we look forward to introducing the concept to more and more fans as we continue bringing the new look to communities throughout the country.”

The new restaurant design has a coastal theme with muted, warm colors and worn wood and metals to provide guests with a relaxed atmosphere. Design elements reinforce transparency in regards to food preparation, with an open concept kitchen as well as a smoothie bar where customers can watch the creation of their smoothies. According to company research, the new design brings in 10 percent more first time visitors, as well as increased existing guests’ visit frequency by 28 percent, reflecting how the redesign has positively impacted sales and customer retention.

“We know that for our guests comfort is key, which is why all of the new restaurant design elements were put in place to ensure that we provide the perfect environment for enjoying our signature better-for-you options in a comfortable and warm atmosphere,” said Tom Plauche, director of construction for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. “From the community-style seating to the brand-new smoothie bar, no detail was overlooked during the design process, and we are thrilled to unveil a new look that embodies everything Tropical Smoothie Cafe believes in.”

In addition to a restaurant redesign, the rebranding also included a more modern and sophisticated logo. The new logo reinforces the continued evolution and accelerated growth of the Topical Smoothie Cafe brand, and reminds guests that the cafe’s offerings extend beyond smoothies. According to a company research, the rebranding has built confidence among consumers that Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s is not only a destination for smoothies, but better-for-you, high quality food.

“Since unveiling the new look, the reception from customers who have visited our remodeled cafes has been overwhelming positive and we’re thrilled with the results,” said Nick Crouch, Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisee. “The coastal theme and new design elements have created an enjoyable atmosphere that keeps guests coming back for more, and the redesign has had a huge impact on our business.”

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After purchasing 20 Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations back in January 2016, R.K. Sidhu has now celebrated the grand opening of his newest Cafe in Ladera Ranch, California. Stop by his Tropical Smoothie Cafe at 27412 Antonio Parkway Suite R2 for the latest smoothie flavors and delightful flatbread sandwiches and salads.

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A recent article in QSR Magazine talked about a growing change in consumer beverage preferences. Gone are the days of guzzling sodas, with sales and consumption data trending downward. Consumers instead are turning to healthier options such as fresh juices, smoothies, and teas.

Dennis Lombardi, President of restaurant advisory firm Insight Dynamics said Millennials and Gen Z are leading the charge for options that contain less sugar, lower calories, and fresh ingredients. It’s important that the beverages taste delicious, but also that they are a healthier option.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe has long satisfied the growing demand of smoothie connoisseurs. The Island Green with spinach, kale, pineapple, mango and banana is a perfect example. Not only is it a healthy menu option, but it’s also one of our most popular blends, accounting for over 5% of total sales.

With a R&D team that is regularly introducing new flavors, the menu stays fresh and customers have something new to try. In addition to smoothies full of healthy, fresh ingredients, they also offer fresh flatbreads, wraps, and salads making it a one-stop shop.

The food industry is always changing, but consumers opting for healthier options looks to be here to stay.

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Janine Bischone is owner of one of the newest Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations! Janine comes with strong restaurant management experience in New York, where she managed inventory and helped to maintain and improve operations. She will be the main operator of the Cafe along with the help of her 16 year-old daughter who loves the Tropical Smoothie Cafe brand too!

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe continues to grow in Florida with the latest Cafe opening in the city of Doral. The owners, Peter and Vani Jonnagadala, are very excited for their grand opening and partnership with the Tropical Smoothie Cafe team.

Have you tried the latest smoothie flavor? Stop by this Cafe to try the latest flavors and menu options, and to meet our newest owners!

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