Atlanta — Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a leading fast-casual cafe concept, opened 101 new cafes in 2017 and signed 187 agreements that will grow the brand’s footprint in markets nationwide. The company aims to reach 1,000 locations by 2020.
In its 20th anniversary year, Tropical Smoothie Cafe reached notable milestones in 2017 that further established the brand as an industry leader including the opening of its first location in Idaho, 50th in Michigan and 630th cafe overall. The brand also focused on accelerating expansion efforts in key target markets across the U.S., not only signing agreements for development, but also opening new cafes in markets such as Dallas and Pittsburgh.
“What a tremendous year we had in 2017. From driving franchise development to revamping our digital platforms and launching new products, our team has worked tirelessly to elevate Tropical Smoothie Cafe to new heights,” says Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. “With more than 630 locations open nationwide, a committed network of franchisees and a new corporate leadership team at the helm, we’re positioned for continued success in 2018 and on pace to reach our goal of 1,000 locations by 2020.”
Amidst the ongoing growth throughout 2017, Tropical Smoothie Cafe also invested significantly in its corporate leadership, appointing six industry veterans to accelerate the momentum and position the brand for further success including Rob Collins as chief marketing officer, Pete Ward as general counsel, Paul Marsden as chief financial officer, Jaime Denney as senior vice president of operations, Cheryl Fletcher as vice president of franchise development strategy and Kristi Kingery as vice president of supply chain.
SOURCE: Tropical Smoothie Cafe