Denver, Colorado next stop in juice and smoothie pioneer’s effort to award 105 new franchise deals by year’s end.
(RestaurantNews.com) In the midst of a record-breaking start to the year, including a 5.64 percent comp sales increase in January, Smoothie King, the pioneer in the health-focused juice and smoothie segment, has selected Denver as a key target market for expansion. The brand will use Denver as a hub for its growth by adding 25 locations and then expanding throughout the Aurora and Lakewood, Colo. areas.
“Denver is a prime market for development, as there are currently no locations in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood corridor, and we have the opportunity to build a great brand presence,” said Dan Hannah, Vice President of International and Domestic Business Development for Smoothie King. “With the demand for better-for-you options and Colorado’s active population, this is the perfect place to expand Smoothie King’s reach.”
Smoothie King aims to have 1,000 locations domestically by the end of 2017 to add to the 700 global locations currently open. Denver, also known as The Mile-High City, is a thriving metropolis and the third-largest city in the Mountain West sub region. Smoothie King aims to provide residents of one of the most active cities in the United States with healthy beverage options.
The company expects to hit the 1,000-unit milestone by using a time-tested formula for finding franchisees that are passionate about the brand and about living a healthy and active lifestyle. Wan Kim, CEO of Smoothie King, knows his dual role as franchisor and franchisee has helped to instill confidence among other franchisees in the system, as they know he is in the trenches with them.
“When people believe in the brand, there’s always going to be a fire that drives growth,” Kim said. “Even during tough times, that passion never dies and continues to fuel the business. With Smoothie King, franchisees can build their business and at the same time be proud of the work they are doing, which is a win-win for all.”
By investing in a food scientist to ensure the company’s research and development process continues to stay nimble and adaptable, Smoothie King knows it has the products and strategies in place to continue its industry dominance. Smoothie King’s superior products provide guests around the world with nutritional solutions that live up to the brand’s founding vision to create “Smoothies With a Purpose.”
Now in its 42nd year of operation, Smoothie King is more primed than ever to thrive thanks to an elevated growth strategy and increased focus on finding the right franchisee partners to help implement it. Smoothie King plans to open two locations every week in 2015 and to grow the $567,578 average gross sales (of the top 25 percent of traditional franchised units in 2013) within the $2 billion industry.
“We are primed to close out more markets across the U.S. this year, and that starts with the growth opportunities in Denver,” said Tom O’Keefe, Smoothie King’s President and COO. “We know that Smoothie King is riding strong momentum right now, and if we find the right franchisees who truly believe in bringing a nutritional solution to their community, they will be our best franchise owners.”
