Tropical Smoothie Cafe's 'Meet the CEO' Event

Tropical Smoothie Cafe, the leading fast casual cafe concept known for its better-for-you food and smoothies with a tropical twist, announced today its aggressive franchise development plans for Philadelphia and is seeking qualified entrepreneurs to open new restaurants throughout the market. To kick off the brand’s expansion efforts, CEO Mike Rotondo will be hosting an informative ‘Meet the CEO’ event at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, located at 1600 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, on September 27 at 7 p.m. The event will offer interested prospects an opportunity to learn more about franchising opportunities with the leading fast casual brand, which has achieved compounding success and substantial nationwide growth over the past several years. Attendees can also participate in a raffle for a chance to win tickets to an upcoming Philadelphia Eagles game in addition to enjoying free food and smoothie samplings throughout the event. 

“The strength of our franchisee network coupled with our desire to provide unparalleled service and high-quality food has led to an outstanding track record of success,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. “With our existing restaurants in the Northwest consistently performing well, we are excited to build on this momentum as we continue to establish the brand as an industry leader in the fast casual segment. The success achieved in our 20th year showcases the potential for rapid growth and we’re eager to introduce Tropical Smoothie Cafe to prospective franchisees in the Philadelphia area and beyond.”

Growth efforts in Philadelphia were fueled by Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s accelerated development plans in 2017. On the heels of the company’s 20th anniversary, the brand has experienced an impressive surge in nationwide expansion, with over 100 franchise agreements signed to-date this year and an ultimate goal of opening at least 100 cafes by the end of 2017. Located in the tri-state area, Philadelphia provides an appealing backdrop for business development. With a rising demand for excellent quality of life in the City of Brotherly Love, Tropical Smoothie Cafe attracts a wide range of customers by offering a variety of better-for-you options. With over 950,000 businesses in operation and more than 10 higher education institutions located in and around the city, Philadelphia is home to an elite and experienced workforce that is continuing to grow.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe currently has franchise opportunities across the U.S. in markets such as Indianapolis, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, Cincinnati and Minneapolis, among others. By 2020, Tropical Smoothie Cafe plans to have 1,000 stores open across the U.S.  The food and smoothie franchise 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 $222,770 and $525,400. The better-for-you food franchise currently boasts an average unit volume (AUV) of more 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.

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.

RSVP to the ‘Meet the CEO’ event in Philadelphia on September 27 by visiting www.tropicalsmoothiecafe.com/philadelphia.