Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. Interested candidates should have business experience, along with a minimum net worth of $350,000 which includes $125,000 in liquid assets. If your Franchised Business includes a drive-thru, the additional expense (including the cost of leasehold improvements, restaurant fixtures and equipment, and other costs) would be approximately $35,000 to $45,000. 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. ATLANTA, Nov. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tropical Smoothie Cafe, the fast-growing national franchise brand known for its better-for-you smoothies and food with a tropical . We're a healthier, quick . Nobody knew what was going to happen. Previously, Cheryl held a 17-year tenure with Popeyes, during which she served as Vice President of Franchise Development, Vice President of Development Strategic Planning, and Director of Investor Relations and Finance. I may have a trick or two up my sleeve I do get to make some decisions occasionally around here. CHARLES WATSON: Sure, absolutely. Southern-style, all the way! Mark Montini joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe as Chief Marketing Officer in October 2019. As CEO, Watsons goal is to achieve $1 billion in sales and more than 1,500 cafes by 2023. This information appears in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. January 21, 2010 // Franchising.com // Destin, Fla. - Tropical Smoothie Caf, a tropical-themed smoothie and sandwich chain with more than 285 locations, announced today that Charles Watson has . As their franchise website states: "Tropical Smoothie Cafes menu boasts bold, flavorful smoothies with a healthy appeal, all made-to-order with quality ingredients. If your Franchised Business includes a drive-thru, the additional expense (including the cost of leasehold improvements, restaurant fixtures and equipment, and other costs) would be approximately $35,000 to $45,000. Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 See where were looking to grow to meet the incredible demand. I may have been, in fact, the person responsible for awarding them a franchise! How do you feel about franchise advisory councils? In July 2018, I was named interim CEO, and then permanent in December 2018.". We figured a good person to ask might be the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Charles Watson. So I think a great franchisee base, and products and innovation that people want. I joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in 2010 as the Vice President of Franchise Development and, in 2016, became the Chief Development Officer, where I was responsible for all aspects of the development of the brand. Watson: "I think when taking over any brand where you worked alongside your predecessor, there's a certain level of pressure to continue carrying the torch, but also to make necessary changes to the brand to evolve with the changing economy and consumer trends. Really trying to understand how to see the world through a different stakeholders' eyes is something I still work on.". 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. TropicalSmoothie.com. Based on our fiscal year ending 12/26/2021 and includes 768 Restaurants that were open for at least 12 months as of 12/26/2021. Charles Watson, the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Care, was thrilled with his company's performance so far this year . Nov 10, 2021, 09:36 ET. A Tropical Smoothie Caf is a better-for-you, fast-casual restaurant business offering freshly prepared food and smoothies served in a fun, friendly environment. We have quesadillas, we have flatbread sandwiches, we have sandwiches, we have salads. Were any of the franchisees reluctant to follow the system or embrace a new direction? 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. Because of our amazing guests, our franchisees, and the communities they serve, including those on the front lines of this pandemic, we will get through this. Players MAY win multiple prizes in a. My experience with the brand up to that point was beneficial because I was already very immersed in the operations and processes that had contributed to its success at that time. Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. It is for information purposes only. In this role, he is responsible for the brand's strategic vision and overall franchise performance. The way [Tropical Smoothie Cafe works in markets], we work the suburbs and the outskirts, and move our way into cities. 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. Those franchisees are serving our guests on the front lines I can't run this business without their candid feedback.". Then I was our chief development officer and Ive been our CEO for about three years now. It's almost all you need to know about the results of Mr. Watsons work and commitment to the franchisees. Prior to that, she spent 22 years at BBDO Worldwide, where she was executive vice president and senior director for the global advertising powerhouse, leading campaign strategy and execution for many large national brands. When I became CEO, I launched a formal franchisee advisory council, known in our organization as the Tropical Franchisee Council (TFC). 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. Here are some highlights of their conversation about his franchise business. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC . I and/or my business partner(s) have the following financials, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC Watson:"I wanted to further instill a franchisee-first mentality. Excludes non-traditional locations and Restaurants that were not open for at least 357 days in 2021. At the start of his career, Michaels ambitious spirit led him to develop a point of sale system, Hot Sauce. The offering is by prospectus only. 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. We can go to camp, we can be counselors. Von Kutzleben most recently served as vice president of brand strategy, advertising and menu at Arbys. So that was helpful! So more knowledge about our great food offerings is something that I would change a little bit. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. Our company sells about 200 franchises, opens over 120 cafes a year, and has more than 500 locations in the pipeline. SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. "I wanted to further instill a franchisee-first mentality. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, I worked for several hotel and hospitality-centric companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels Group, US Franchise Systems, Inc. and Hospitality Real Estate Counselors. NET WORTH * LIQUID CAPITAL/CASH AVAILABLE FOR INVESTMENT * *All fields required. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. It hopes to keep all its new customers. 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. Well, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we've got 850 locations in 44 states. Our annual tactics are focused around delivering those results.". And then number two, I would say a franchisee base that is second to none. ", Charles Watson was named CEO in December 2018. Watson:"As a first time CEO, learning to view the business from a thinking vs. a doing mentality was a challenge I faced. Von Kutzleben most recently served as vice president of brand strategy, advertising and menu at Arbys. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 With extensive experience in the food service industry, Paul comes to Tropical Smoothie Cafe from Popeyes, where he served as the Chief Accounting Officer and spent nearly two decades working in the brands financial and accounting departments. We consider ourselves to be an approachable, healthier option for the average American, and our customer loyalty system-wide continues to climb. Our company sells about 200 franchises, opens over 120 cafes a year, and has more than 500 locations in the pipeline. Its not just: We have snacks! We have a full-on robust kitchen thats preparing fresh products. Sometimes youve just got to go with the taste. TikTok user Fuhlex left her followers stunned after revealing the cost of the bagThe social media user, from LA, said she was 'too embarrassed to put it back'But people likened it to a 'potato sack' and begged her to return it to the store Building off this momentum, in 2019, we celebrated the openings of our 750th and 800th locations, but taking over during such a monumental time for our brand certainly brought opportunities to improve. Were right, exactly where It was a little bit of a step back in 2020, but in 2021, our year-to-date comparative sales are [up] almost 30%. And theyve been able to do that, which is increased our average unit volume many, many times over the years. The reality is the Left Coast, the West coast, Oregon, California, and Washington. charles watson tropical smoothie net worth. Michael brings 20 years of foundational IT skills and core functions of digital knowledge critical to shaping our journey to reach guests via innovative technologies. Whats your favorite cuisine outside of Tropical Smoothie? Because of our amazing guests, our franchisees, and the communities they serve, including those on the front lines of this pandemic, we will get through this. My predecessor did a great job, so most of the hesitancy candidly was, "will this guy be as good, will we have the same amount of success?" Occhiogrosso: What challenges, if any, did you face in getting "buy-in" from the existing franchise community once you became CEO? Prior to being named CEO in 2018, Charles served as the chief development officer for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. 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 so I think thats only going to fuel our continued growth going forward. Camp Sunshine is a camp for kids and their families that have life-threatening illnesses. What is the all-time best-selling smoothie the chain offers? Watson has worked for the brand for more than 10 years and has been its chief development officer since 2015. Chief Executive Officer @ Tropical Smoothie Cafe; . Tropical Smoothie is a Georgia-based company that owns and operates a chain of restaurants serving smoothies, sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups. Some of our franchisees had the idea to donate smoothies to first responders and hospital workers in Atlanta. The chain plans on opening an astonishing 200 locations this year alone, which will mean it's opening its 1000th restaurant. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Richard was the Vice President of Operations, West Division, for Papa Murphys International where he was responsible for field operations and marketing. Today's post focus' on that topic in an interview with Charles Watson, the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Caf. The range is based on estimated costs for End-Cap or In-Line Tropical Smoothie Cafe Restaurants, which include those located in or at strip style retail shopping centers but does not include drive-thrus. As reopening guidelines are being determined, we plan to move forward with an abundance of caution. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about . CEO Charles Watson, who took the reins in 2019, said Tropical Smoothie's goal was to eclipse 1,000 restaurants by 2021 and 1,500 locations with AUVs of $1 million in the next five years. 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. 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. It's tropic time. The number one seller from a limited time offer perspective has always been our summertime Watermelon Mojito, its incredibly popular, 20 to 25 sales per cafe per day, with that Watermelon Mojito, everyone looks forward to it. 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. At the start of his career, Michaels ambitious spirit led him to develop a point of sale system, Hot Sauce. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise systems sustainable growth, the success of its franchisees, and the execution of the brands Inspire Better mission. To what factors do you attribute the growth of the chain in recent years, and to its staying power? Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. Tropical Smoothie Cafe. The TFC works hand-in-hand with Tropical Smoothie on all facets of the business from operations, IT, marketing, construction, and beyond, and their genuine feedback continues to establish the open communication we strive for, helping us to enhance our business model on an ongoing basis. SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. Then we determined two focus areas, giving back to the community and prioritizing support for our franchisees. Did you foresee the level of growth the chain has experienced of late? The success of our brand is about the talent and drive of our talented executives and Support Center team. 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. In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Pete served as the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance/Risk Officer at Popeyes for over 10 years and has extensive experience handling corporate transactions, both in-house and in private practice. CEO Charles Watson says that the company is "99.9 percent franchise," which means that most of the locations are owned independently. Yeah. Prior to that, he was named Chief Development Officer in 2015 after serving as VP of Franchise Development since 2010. which of the following is not characteristic of groupthink SPEED It was not possible for me to get involved in every project so I had to learn to let go and delegate. Right next to that is our relationship with our Franchise Owners. Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, said, "It's inspiring to be part of the growth that Tropical Smoothie Cafe has . Mark Montini joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe as Chief Marketing Officer in October 2019. For many, many years, its been the Bahama Mama. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Pete served as the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance/Risk Officer at Popeyes for over 10 years and has extensive experience handling corporate transactions, both in-house and in private practice. Is there a smoothie that you personally are thrilled is on the menu, but just dont enjoy yourself? There is no assurance that you will do as well. So its getting involved with charity partners. 26, 2021. I and/or my business partner(s) have the following financials, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC And drive their economic engine. 770-821-1928, and a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise development leader will reach out to you with more information. One of the biggest expenses seen in the income statement is $12 million spent in . 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. Share Tweet Share Pin. I love a good pot roast with mashed potatoes, green beans and corn. The average tropical smoothie franchise owner s salary/pay is estimated to be $126,000 per year, based on an average net revenue of $1,009,803 and a profit margin of 15%. He's no stranger to franchise development, nor is Charles Watson an outsider, having served four years as the company's Chief Development Officer in addition to his prior role as VP of Franchise Development. And the other misconception, whether you think its uber healthy or not so healthy, is that you, the consumer, the guest have all the choice in the world. Occhiogrosso: What was the condition of the company before you were named CEO? Over the next five years, our goals are to reach 1,500 cafes open across the U.S., with over 18% profitability for our franchisees on average volumes in excess of $1M, all with very high operational satisfaction for our guests. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. Tropical Smoothie Caf's recent momentum isn't just a snowball rolling downhillit's more like a full-on avalanche. I write about the franchising, restaurant and food services industry. Richard has served in a franchise operations capacity for more than 20 years with brands such as TCBY, Carvel, and Moes Southwest Grill. And what we were able to do is to take a smaller organization that was scrappy, just like Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and really build their endowment and really serve a lot of families. And that really got us down this road of: What is our purpose? Beyond that, we need to provide training. Were implementing a new point-of-sale system that acts as a hub and enables all third-party delivery, white label delivery, online ordering, etc. So I was compelled to ask Mr. Watson his thoughts on the pandemic and the company's response. When our franchisees are successful, the brand is successful. Occhiogrosso: How do you feel about franchise advisory councils? Richard has served in a franchise operations capacity for more than 20 years with brands such as TCBY, Carvel, and Moes Southwest Grill. F-9894), New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Prior to being named CEO in 2018, Charles served as the chief development officer for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Charles is a graduate of The Hotel School at Cornell University and also holds a Masters of Business Administration from The Terry School of Business at The University of Georgia. See where were looking to grow to meet the incredible demand. NET WORTH * LIQUID CAPITAL/CASH . Here's how CEO Charles Watson did it. The Tropical Franchisee Council (TFC) was established in 2018 and has been invaluable for our growth. How are we purpose-driven? And were rolling that out under our tagline of Inspire Better. Glad Tidings: Are Seasonal Franchises A Good Investment? Charles also serves on the boards of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program. I wont lie, it was a blow to the ego at first, but it taught me what being a role player means and how important every role is to the bigger picture. 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. 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. Our relationships are founded on trust and respect for the unique talents of our teams, franchisees, and vendors alike. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota (File No. It is for information purposes only. So Ive got to get them in while I can. So that would be my thoughts. We strive to continue to harness these relationships in this way and feel that this approach will continue to fuel our success. Pete Ward advises Tropical Smoothie Cafe on all legal and business matters, including franchising, real estate, labor and employment, litigation, intellectual property, licensing, and other commercial matters. And so I think were right on pace. Watson: "I'm a huge advocate for franchise advisory councils, specifically when nearly 60% of all franchise agreements at Tropical Smoothie Cafe come from existing franchisees. Vice President Franchise Development. Its only here until August. And is there a smoothie that you wish to see added to the menu in the future? My predecessor did a great job, so most of the hesitancy candidly was, "will this guy be as good, will we have the same amount of success?" Total investment for a new cafe opening ranges between $246,500 and $580,500. You know, this is terrible, but Ive never gone through a pandemic before obviously, and I would have to say Im pretty pleased I think we did a very nice job during 2020, we opened 99 new restaurants. Each year, franchisees complete the Franchise Business Review to essentially grade us here at the Support Center on how we're serving them. But we want to also have a higher calling of what were doing to be great individuals and great corporate citizens. My experience with the brand up to that point was beneficial because I was already very immersed in the operations and processes that had contributed to its success at that time. See where were looking to grow to meet the incredible demand. Really trying to understand how to see the world through a different stakeholders' eyes is something I still work on.". This process only helps our individual franchisees and their bottom line, respectively.". Please give our readers the "Elevator Pitch" for Tropical Smoothie Cafe? It is for information purposes only. Again, the franchising, especially in Tropical Smoothie, it is a local business. It posted its ninth consecutive year of positive same-store sales, with 2020 same-stores up 7.5%. The offering is by prospectus only. 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. Although COVID-19 has directly impacted our business, some days being down more than 50 percent, we consider ourselves lucky to have a business model that allowed us to easily transition to grab-and-go, curbside, and delivery only. Atlanta, GA 30338 Michael Lapid joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in October of 2019 to the role of Chief Information and Digital Officer. What was your plan for the first 90 days? Atlanta, GA 30338 And was one in place already? The fact that nearly 60% of all new Tropical Smoothie Cafe units are opened by existing franchisees underscores the franchise owner's satisfaction with the concept, the company, and it's leadership. 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. Mr. Watson was appointed the CEO position of Tropical Smoothie Cafe in December 2018. Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. Those interested in becoming a franchisee should have $125,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $350,000. We want to capture both the head and the heart of our consumers. He is survived by his children Kayla (Jason), Kelsey (Billy), John (Stephanie), Kincaid (Cecilia), his siblings Orville Dallier (Angela), Sue Dorey (Tom), Donna By year-end 2018 we opened 110 cafes and signed 191 new franchise agreements. And so thats one of my favorites. This is a BETA experience. In a highly competitive segment, we're one of the fastest-growing quick-casual brands, opening 124 new locations in 2019 alone and singing 213 development agreements to open hundreds of businesses over the next few years.". Costs can vary by location and the average cost is $370,000. And theyre in their communities. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise systems sustainable growth, the success of its franchisees, and the execution of the brands Inspire Better mission. Our relationships are founded on trust and respect for the unique talents of our teams, franchisees, and vendors alike. We want to be an escape for our consumers in this hectic world we live, and an incredible business model for our franchise partners It's an exciting time to be a fast-casual concept within this segment, specifically as the market size of the juice and smoothie bars industry is expected to increase by 2.3% in 2020, reaching nearly $3 billion in revenue across the globe. Excludes non-traditional locations and Restaurants that were not open for at least 357 days in 2021.