"At Tropical Smoothie Cafe, it's our mission to inspire a healthier lifestyle by serving amazing food and smoothies, with a bit of tropical fun. Passion is key in everything. *$1,009,803 System Wide Average Net Revenues. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson admits that his brand isn't always at the leading edge when it comes to technology innovation. When I became CEO, I launched a formal franchisee advisory council, known in our organization as the Tropical Franchisee Council (TFC). Luckily in my first two years as CEO, we continued to expand the footprint of the brand, and increase brand awareness, drive profitability for our franchisees and drive our comp sales. Prior to Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Mark served as Chief Marketing Officer with Floor Coverings International where he was responsible for driving the brands digital transformation and leadership position in service-based franchising. At the start of his career, Michaels ambitious spirit led him to develop a point of sale system, Hot Sauce. Vice President Franchise Development. So since I like it, and since we love Camp Sunshine, we may see that this fall. Charles is a graduate of The Hotel School at Cornell University and holds a Master of Business Administration from The Terry College of Business at The University of Georgia. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. And theyre in their communities. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota (File No. A veteran hospitality professional, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels Group, US Franchise Systems, Inc., and Hospitality Real Estate Counselors. If you are a resident of or want to locate a franchise in one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your state. How is taking the reins of an existing company different than being part of a startup or a founder? In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. Or the Hummus Veggie Wrap? Your results may differ. In a franchise system, without broad franchisee buy-in, you cannot move as efficiently and effectively as is required in today's business environment.". Well, we just talked about Camp Sunshine and we have a smoothie called the Sunshine Smoothie that is orange and mango based. Were any of the franchisees reluctant to follow the system or embrace a new direction? The impact of the more formalized committees we have set up, and the close connection I have with TFC has gotten the system more comfortable with my style and thinking, and I believe, since trust is earned, I still have a long way to go, but am off to a good start. The impact of technology on the restaurant business and how Tropical Smoothie Cafe is adapting to a changing landscape in hospitality. Michael Lapid joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in October of 2019 to the role of Chief Information and Digital Officer. As a restaurant executive, hospitality should be in your blood. To what factors do you attribute the growth of the chain in recent years, and to its staying power? Costs can vary by location and the average cost is $370,000. I love those states, [but] those are not really key states for us at this point, our big bastions out west are Las Vegas and Phoenix. Complete the form or call 770-821-1928, and a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise development leader will reach out to you with more information. Watson will lead us through our next phase of strategic growth. We have quesadillas, we have flatbread sandwiches, we have sandwiches, we have salads. Share Tweet Share Pin. Turns out, theres a lot to know about Tropical Smoothie Cafe. TropicalSmoothie.com. The chain plans on opening an astonishing 200 locations this year alone, which will mean it's opening its 1000th restaurant. Richard Key serves as the Chief Operations Officer, responsible for overseeing the operations team and its support and training of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise community. I lean into that so that our employees can feel good about what they do.. wills o' nats last of the summer wine. Are there misconceptions about smoothies you want cleared up? In July 2018, I was named interim CEO, and then permanent in December 2018.". Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. Those franchisees are serving our guests on the front lines I can't run this business without their candid feedback.". Both of my parents had the entrepreneur bug and they definitely passed that on to me. Did you foresee the level of growth the chain has experienced of late? No credit card required. 770-580-2333, NRN Editors Discuss Digital Engagement with CMO Deborah von Kutzleben, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Achieves New Milestones in 2022, These Will Be The 10 Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chains In 2023. So we managed to get through that. Were now seeing a big acceleration in the business in 2021, much of that is attributable to our franchisees, really working hard to stand up digital channels. Its getting involved in the local community. We look forward to realizing Charles vision for the company.. Tang asked Watson what support his Franchise Owners need from Tropical Smoothie Cafe. While the pandemic destroyed thousands of restaurants last year, Atlanta-based Tropical Smoothie Cafe had one of its best years to date. Atlanta, GA 30338 I was originally a quarterback in high school and had my heart set on the same position for college. In 2018, when I was named CEO, we had more than 720 locations open nationwide. 770-580-2333, NRN Editors Discuss Digital Engagement with CMO Deborah von Kutzleben, In Her Own Words: Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisees gain Cheryl Fletchers support, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Opens First Double Drive-Thru Location. Outside of smoothies, whats the top-selling non-smoothie product? Previously with Papa Johns International as the Vice President, Global Digital Technology, Michael is a seasoned technology executive with vast engineering and operations expertise, leadership, and a deep understanding of digital technology and guest experiences. While we had always involved franchisees, I felt it needed to be formalized and more visible to our franchise system. 770-580-2333 Occhiogrosso: What were the one or two unique challenges that you faced upon taking over as CEO? Tropical Smoothie Caf is a Georgia LLC organized on June 25, 2012. Yes, I am putting my mark on the brand and culture, but I have been around long enough not to stray too far from the DNA of the brand.". In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. In conclusion, I believe the growth of Tropical Smoothie Cafe over the last two years demonstrates Mr. Watson's steady leadership and a clear understanding of building on the momentum that has made the brand a leader in its category. We strive to continue to harness these relationships in this way and feel that this approach will continue to fuel our success. 2020, 2019, and 2018 average, median, highest, and lowest net revenues, number of stores, and number and percentage of stores that surpassed the average net revenues in the category for the top 10%, top 25%, . With 158 cafe openings and 258 executed franchise agreements in 2022, the brand was able to achieve its 11th consecutive year of positive same-store-sales growth, a notable milestone in the franchise industry. I and/or my business partner(s) have the following financials, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of franchise development, real estate, design and construction and franchise administration and helped grow the system from 265 open units to 725 open units. . Watson has worked for the brand for more than 10 years and has been its chief development officer since 2015. We have a jerk chicken quesadilla, we dont come out and just do a ham or turkey sandwich. Your results may differ. In this role, he is responsible for the brand's strategic vision and overall franchise performance. Occhiogrosso: What are some of the additional support initiatives you put in place for your franchise community during the pandemic? Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. So were a brand thats going to be close to pushing a 3:1 investment ratio. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has deals in place for hundreds more locations in the pipeline and is on track to meet Charles aggressive goal to hit 1,500 locations by the end of 2024. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 So well get to 50, but Im not focused on about five or six of them right now. For the fiscal year 2021, these End-Cap and In-Line Tropical Smoothie Cafe Restaurants typically ranged in size from 1,200 to 1,900 square feet. And it has also driven franchise development and growth, so more units coming out. This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. Charles has the tenacity, vision and passion this brand needs to continue our upward trajectory and will ensure the success of our franchisees is at the center of every decision we make, said Scott Pressly, Chairman of the Board, Tropical Smoothie Cafe. And at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we really focus on the fresh ingredients. If you are a resident of or want to locate a franchise in one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your state. In this role, Mark leads brand, marketing, product, and digital innovations core functions of delivering the remarkable guest experience that drives Tropical Smoothie Cafes success. And those are the most important things that I do.. The guests who support local businesses in and around their communities are the ones we give the credit to because their loyalty to our cafes is what has ultimately maintained our ability to serve. Excludes non-traditional locations and Restaurants that were not open for at least 357 days in 2021. And is there a smoothie that you wish to see added to the menu in the future? And by the way, thats one way Tropical Smoothie Cafe has grown so big so fast the food. I think the biggest shift will take place for those restaurants that can't be open right now. Show all. Well, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we've got 850 locations in 44 states. What sets your smoothies apart from smoothies from competitors? And so we are rolling out this fall, what were calling it, our Inspire Better, right? Any plans for celebrations and promotions around the quarter-century mark? Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. In this role, he is responsible for the brand's strategic vision and overall franchise performance. NET WORTH * LIQUID CAPITAL/CASH . Nobody knew what was going to happen. "Like I said, I was very fortunate to have had already developed relationships with our franchise community prior to becoming CEO. I was born with a strong work ethic. Michael Lapid joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in October of 2019 to the role of Chief Information and Digital Officer. NET WORTH * LIQUID CAPITAL/CASH AVAILABLE FOR INVESTMENT * *All fields required.