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2023 Franchise 500 Rank
#17 Ranked #13 last year
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Initial investment
$264K - $1.2M
Units as of 2022
1,373 28.0% over 3 years

Smoothie King is a juice bar franchise that sells nutrition-driven smoothies. As a fast-food alternative, the drinks at Smoothie King are intended to help people meet their dietary needs and goals. 

First opened in 1973, Smoothie King was one of the United State's very first smoothie locations. By 1988, they began to franchise. It now has over 1,000 locations in the U.S. and internationally. These centers don't just make and sell smoothies, but also energy bars, healthy snacks, sports drinks, vitamins, herbs, and supplements.

Your mission as a franchisee is to encourage guests to choose and maintain a healthy lifestyle. As a franchisee, you are expected to show customers that Smoothie King is one way to do that. Its locations use organic fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients free of artificial preservatives, flavors, and dyes. They even have a "No No List" that tells you what ingredients the company will never use in their smoothies.

Why You May Want to Open a Smoothie King Franchise

Smoothie King usually offers comprehensive support for franchisees and is ready for them to rule their future, as they say. The company might provide the tools for your business and is typically working to develop new products to keep the business fresh. You may own more than one unit and work closely with their real estate team to find the perfect location.

As a fitness-focused smoothie chain, you might work within a well-defined niche and can target your customer base. More importantly, its franchisees may be able to rest easy knowing that they're selling nutritious products to improve people's health. Your franchise could become the healthy sweet treat in your neighborhood. 

What Might Make Smoothie King Franchise a Good Choice?

Rated in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 for franchise organizations, Smoothie King may continue to keep up its momentum. Its ranking on the Franchise 500 is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points that consist of areas in costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. 

In October 2020, CEO Wan Kim went on Undercover Boss to see what it was like at Smoothie King. Now that the brand has network television level recognition, it's gained even more popularity. The company is planning to expand in many more locations. 

If you want to open a franchise, Smoothie King may offer a contract agreement that typically lasts for ten years. You should ensure that you're financially ready to cover the initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare for ongoing fees that will include royalty, advertising, and renewal fees. Excellent credit and strong business acumen are typically a must. The company may expect its franchisees to develop multiple units.

How to Open a Smoothie King Franchise

Like with other franchises out there, the first step to owning a Smoothie King franchise is making sure it's a good fit for you. As part of the onboarding process, the company will usually connect you with a franchise development manager. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, especially about your planned location. 

Your development manager will then generally schedule a discovery day at company headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Here, the executive team typically meets with potential franchisees and interviews them.

After the interview, they typically review finances, credit, and background information. Occasionally, they hold second-round interviews. After approval, it's generally time to send in your franchise fee so you can officially become a Smoothie King franchisee!

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Company Overview

About Smoothie King

Industry
Food
Related Categories
Smoothies/Juices, Fruit
Founded
1973
Parent Company
Smoothie King Franchises Inc.
Leadership
Shawn Caric, VP of Franchise Development
Corporate Address
9797 Rombauer Rd., #150
Dallas, TX 75019

Business Overview

Franchising Since
1988 (35 years)
# of employees at HQ
107
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchisees throughout the US.

# of Units
1,373 (as of 2022)

Information for Franchisees

Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested in opening a Smoothie King franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here’s what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee
$15,000 - $30,000
Initial Investment
$263,601 - $1,184,865
Net Worth Requirement
$300,000
Cash Requirement
$100,000
Veteran Incentives
20% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee
6%
Ad Royalty Fee
3%
Term of Agreement
10 years
Is franchise term renewable?
Yes
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Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing
Smoothie King has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training
100-240 hours
Classroom Training
54-102 hours
Ongoing Support
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?
Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
No
Can this franchise be run part time?
No
# of employees required to run
10-15
Are exclusive territories available?
Yes
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Franchise 500 Ranking History

Compare where Smoothie King landed on this year’s Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

Additional Rankings

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Related Franchises

Are you eager to see what else is out there? Browse franchises that are similar to Smoothie King.

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Disclaimer
The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company’s legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.
Updated: December 12th, 2022