News

Tropical Smoothie Café names franchise COO

January 20, 2011

Tropical Smoothie Cafe? has announced the promotion of Mike Rotondo to chief operating officer. In his new role, Rotondo will be responsible for coordinating all franchisee and area developer operations for more than 285 locations across the United States.

As a 25-year restaurant veteran, Rotondo has fulfilled top positions in several notable restaurants brands, including overseeing 850 locations as Arby’s regional director of franchise operations and serving for Wendy’s as district manager and instructor at Wendy’s Management Institute. Rotondo also led a multitude of successful sales driving initiatives as the director of business development at Honey Baked Ham of Georgia.

Rotondo joined Tropical Smoothie as its vice president in 2008.

In 2009, he led the effort to add flatbreads to the company’s menu, resulting in accelerated sales growth throughout the company and earning national recognition with the Menu Masters Award, given annually by the National Restaurant Association to honor outstanding efforts in research, development and marketing of product lines developed by food service companies and restaurants. He also negotiated with vendors to improve food costs for franchisees system-wide.

“Tropical Smoothie Cafe? has exciting plans for 2011, starting with our Summertime Somewhere promotion beginning this February,” Rotondo said. “We’ve partnered with Club Med to give away 12, all inclusive vacations to any Club Med in the Caribbean, Mexico and Florida, plus other Tropical Smoothie Cafe? prizes and products.”

Additionally, Rotondo said he will focus on three initiatives in 2011:

1. Driving franchisee average unit volume to $500,000,
2. Rolling out new franchisee profitability tools to drive unit level economics, and
3. Completing a thorough analysis of Tropical Smoothie's menu.