Red Mango Founder Dan Kim Accepts Two Business Awards as Chain Continues National Expansion

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Jun 08, 2010, 09:00 ET

DALLAS, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- In less than three years, Red Mango has ripened into a national brand that is taking the U.S. by storm. In return, company Founder Dan Kim is adding to his awards collection as the idea man behind the most popular and fastest-growing retailer of all-natural, nonfat frozen yogurt and fresh fruit smoothies.

On June 10, Kim will be in New York City to accept his award as part of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business for 2010. The black-tie affair at the New York Hilton in Manhattan is one of the most prestigious recognitions for top Asian business leaders in the U.S. Sponsored by the Asian American Business Development Center in New York, the annual 50 list has championed entrepreneurs and icons for competing in the mainstream marketplace and creating successful business opportunities for others through their efforts. Kim's inclusion on this year's list is validation that Red Mango's success has graduated from an entrepreneurial idea into a national reality with locations across the U.S.

On June 11, Kim will also be featured in the Dallas Business Journal's "40 Under Forty" list of top business leaders. A city with an appetite for good things, Kim relocated Red Mango's headquarters to Dallas in 2009 to establish a central U.S. base and grow the chain from coast to coast. The move paid off with franchise agreements for 204 more stores and an aggressive campaign to expand Red Mango's platform to kiosks, co-branded locations and self-serve formats.

"These recognitions are humbling for doing something that I enjoy and love," Kim said. "From day one, I've been passionate about offering consumers frozen yogurt and smoothies that are delicious and nutritious in a retail atmosphere that is stylish and engaging. The fact that America has embraced Red Mango so quickly has been a huge affirmation that we're making a real difference in the way people eat and live, and our franchising opportunities provide a great business for those who want to join us in that pursuit."

The national attention and rapid success has also challenged Kim to do more with Red Mango and improve upon a good thing. Most notably, the company has smartly expanded its menu and heightened the brand into more than a yogurt shop. The recent introductions of probiotic iced teas, yogurt parfaits and fresh fruit smoothies have strengthened the company's loyal following and expanded Red Mango's large customer base.

And Kim is not done yet. Red Mango continues to grow at record pace and has awarded locations in the following states this year with development agreements in Arizona, Arkansas, Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington where stores are in various stages of development.

The company continues to seek entrepreneurs, multi-unit franchise owners and corporate evacuees from a growing pool of interested franchise candidates to expand its network in new and existing cities and states. According to Kim, "The success of Red Mango and the goals we continue to pursue are a collective effort of the large, passionate and focused group of franchise owners we are welcoming to the brand."

About Red Mango:

Red Mango, the fastest-growing retailer of all-natural nonfat frozen yogurt and fresh fruit smoothies, opened its first U.S. store in July 2007 in Los Angeles, and has since celebrated more than 60 store openings in over 10 states including Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Red Mango received the prestigious Nation's Restaurant News' 2009 "Hot Concepts!" award and the industry-recognized SupplySide's 2010 "Scientific Excellence Award", and has been named the best frozen yogurt in markets such as Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas, Chicago, Utah and New York by highly-regarded independent publications. Headquartered in Dallas, Red Mango serves uniquely delicious frozen yogurt that is all-natural, nonfat, gluten-free and exclusively packed with beneficial live and active probiotic cultures like Ganeden BC30™ (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086), which help support a healthy immune and digestive system when consumed as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Red Mango's frozen yogurt was the first frozen yogurt retailer to become certified by the National Yogurt Association's Live and Active Culture Seal for meeting the required criteria for healthy frozen yogurt. Red Mango also introduced the world's first probiotic iced teas that are made with whole tea leaves and hand-shaken to order, and recently expanded its menu to include satisfying lunchtime meal options that include all-natural made-to-order fruit parfaits and fresh fruit smoothies.