News

Tropical Smoothie Cafe looking for Minneapolis franchisees

September 8, 2017

Tropical Smoothie Cafe has aggressive franchise plans for Minneapolis. To kick off the brand's expansion efforts, CEO Mike Rotondo will host a Meet the CEO event at 7 p.m., Sept.20, at the Tropical Smoothie Cafe in St. Louis Park. The event will offer interested prospects an opportunity to learn more about franchising opportunities,  according to a company press release.

"The growing demand for exceptional better-for-you food options has fueled our current success throughout the Northwest, with our existing restaurants in the region consistently performing well," Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, said in the release. "As we continue to establish the brand as an industry leader in the fast casual dining segment, we anticipate tremendous growth opportunities in this market."

Growth efforts in Minneapolis were fueled by Tropical Smoothie Cafe's accelerated development plans in 2017, Rotondo said. On the heels of the company's 20th anniversary, the brand has experienced a surge in nationwide expansion, with more than 100 franchise agreements signed to-date this year and a goal of opening at least 100 cafes by the end of 2017.

The chain reported this year that its average unit volume is higher than $662,000 — the highest in the company's 20-year history — with the top 50 percent reporting an AUV of more than $846,000.

Becoming a franchisee

Tropical Smoothie Cafe has franchise opportunities across the U.S. in markets such as Indianapolis, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, Cincinnati and Minneapolis, among others. By 2020, it plans to have 1,000 stores open across the U.S. and is looking to add qualified franchisees to make that possible.

Candidates should have business experience $125,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $350,000. They should expect to make an initial investment of between $222,770 and $525,400, according to the release.