Published on: October 4, 2023
ATLANTA – Tropical Smoothie Cafe continues to see positive growth through Q3 of 2023, reporting positive same-store sales, opening 141 new cafes and signing 166 franchise agreements. The brand now has more than 1,335 open locations.
In the third quarter, Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisees opened 51 new cafes. Many of these openings were driven by existing franchisees. Additionally, the brand is attracting new multi-unit and multi-brand franchisees like Jacob Webb who opened his first two cafes in the quarter and has plans to develop another 13 cafes throughout the Salt Lake City market.
“Since Tropical Smoothie Cafe already has an existing presence in Utah, I knew the concept would be a great fit for expanding into the northern communities,” said Webb. “After seeing the brand’s continued growth across the country, I jumped at the opportunity to diversify and it’s an honor to be a part of a brand of this caliber that also places a strong focus on community.”
Webb’s growth plans highlight the strong appeal of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe system to established entrepreneurs. Further evidence of this appeal is Rob Schmidt, another multi-unit and multi-brand franchisee who brings more than 30 years of restaurant industry experience to this venture. He opened his first cafe in Oxford, MS and will be opening his second cafe in Hattiesburg, MS this month. Schmidt has plans to develop a total of 17 cafes across Mississippi.
“Being a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisee has been an incredible journey thus far,” said Schmidt. “What sets this brand apart is its commitment to its franchisees which is evident with the brand’s high volume of multi-unit operators throughout the franchise system. I’m excited to have the opportunity to continue to grow our footprint in such an important market and make a positive impact in the various communities where we operate.”
In addition to new openings in the third quarter, the brand signed 77 new franchise agreements, further strengthening the development pipeline to fuel its future growth. Driving this accomplishment is its positive same-store sales increase, aided by a dedication to menu innovation, which was evident through the Island Punch smoothie. The smoothie was a resounding win during Q3, garnering an overwhelming positive response from guests and ultimately boosting the brand’s Tropic Rewards(R) loyalty program.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe also made time to continue its vision to Inspire Better®. On September 28, the support center team volunteered at the Atlanta Community Foodbank during its annual Support Center Inspire Better® Day.
“I’m extremely proud of what the brand has accomplished already this year thanks to the dedication and commitment of our franchisees and support center team,” said Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Café, LLC. “As a brand, we place a big emphasis on giving back to the communities we serve, and our Support Center Inspire Better® Day is a great way for our team to embody that vision.”
Continuing its history of exciting achievements, the brand added to its impressive roster of awards. This quarter, Watson received the honor of being named one of Atlanta’s Most Admired CEOs of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Another accolade to note was Tropical Smoothie Cafe being recognized at #8 on QSR Magazine’s list of the Fastest-Growing Fast-Food Chains in America.
About Tropical Smoothie Cafe®
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual restaurant brand built on a mission to Inspire Better®, a commitment that starts with our better-for-you food and smoothies and extends to inspiring better in the communities we serve. Born on a beach in 1997, today Tropical Smoothie Cafe has more than 1,335 locations in 44 states. For the third year in a row, the brand was ranked #1 in the Smoothie/Juice Category by Entrepreneur Franchisee 500. For 10 consecutive years the brand has received the Franchise Times Fast and Serious award. In 2023, for the third consecutive year, the brand received the TopScore FUND Award with a score of 920, the highest in the QSR segment by FRANdata.
