Smoothie King Bringing 15 Additional Units to Dallas-Fort Worth

Franchisee Mohammed Azaz Signs Deal to Grow the Brand's Market Presence Following Purchase of Six Existing Stores in 2022

DALLAS, Aug. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Smoothie King, the world's largest smoothie chain and the first health and fitness QSR brand of its kind, announced the signing of a multi-unit development agreement that will bring 15 new locations to Dallas-Fort Worth. Leading the brand's expansion in its home market is seasoned multi-unit franchisee Mohammed Azaz of HIBA-SK LLC, who also acquired six existing Smoothie King locations in Fall 2022. The announcement builds on the development momentum that Smoothie King has sustained in recent months, remaining on pace to open 100 locations before the end of 2023. The brand has also added 71 stores to its pipeline since the start of the year.

"We welcomed Mohammad to the Smoothie King family last year and we're privileged that he'll be expanding his presence with our brand through multiple new store builds. We're always looking to partner with experienced franchisees that are not only eager to grow, but also passionate about making a positive impact in their community," said Chris Bremer, Chief Development Officer at Smoothie King. "Mohammed has exemplified this passion throughout his franchising career and we are proud that he will be growing his portfolio further with Smoothie King."

A former healthcare executive at ORACLE Cerner, an American supplier of health information technology supplies and services, Azaz began pursuing his entrepreneurial dreams because he wanted the opportunity to control and measure his own growth. Now, with 15 years of franchising experience, Azaz has developed more than 30 franchised locations across Kansas City predominantly with Great Clips and Goddard Preschools. As the largest Great Clips franchisee in Kansas City, Azaz is adding more Smoothie King locations to his portfolio because of the brand's leadership and continued innovation, among other core differentiators.

"I've been actively searching to further diversify my portfolio, and Smoothie King immediately stood out for its strong company mission, category leadership, products and the ongoing support it provides franchisees," said Mohammed Azaz. "It's also inspiring to learn more about Wan Kim's journey from franchisee to CEO, and the dedication that each corporate team member has for the brand. It's something I chose to be a part of, and I'm excited to develop new locations with Smoothie King and build my existing portfolio with the brand."

To support franchisees like Azaz, Smoothie King has placed an emphasis on menu innovation that drives profitability for franchisees across the system, increasing traffic and building guest loyalty. Smoothie King enables its guests to achieve the health-focused goals they set out to accomplish by offering high-quality and great-tasting specialty products that are crafted to serve a purpose. This year, the brand is celebrating 50 years since blending America's original smoothie and has continued to evolve, launching new additions to their menu including Power Meal Smoothies, Gut Health Smoothies and its newest item, Smoothie Bowls. Smoothie Bowls were launched April 4^th and have shown tremendous success. 

To expand further, Smoothie King continues to seek experienced operators interested in growing their portfolio with a brand committed to providing products that inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Single and multi-unit development opportunities are available, as well as incentives for active-duty U.S. military or veterans and for first responders, including law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians.

Smoothie King has repeatedly been recognized as a top franchise opportunity, most recently ranked number 83 in Technomic's Top 500 ranking and number 84 in Nation's Restaurant News' Top 500 list. The brand was also ranked number 17 in Entrepreneur magazine's highly competitive Franchise 500 ranking of the top franchise brands, included in QSR magazine's Best Franchise Deals, named "Top Brand to Buy" in the beverage category of Franchise Times' 2022 Zor Awards and selected for Franchise Times' "Top 400 Franchises" list. Furthermore, Smoothie King received the Top Franchises Satisfaction Award for 2022 from Franchise Business Review based on the brand's high franchisee satisfaction.

For more information about franchise opportunities with Smoothie King, please visit www.smoothiekingfranchise.com.

About Smoothie King Franchises, Inc.
Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the original U.S. smoothie franchise, is a privately held, Dallas-based franchise company with over 1,350 locations worldwide, including in the United States, Korea, Grand Cayman, and Trinidad. Founded in 1973, Smoothie King has made it its mission to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. By blending each smoothie with a purpose, Smoothie King makes it simple and enjoyable for guests to achieve their individual health and fitness goals. Smoothie King has been recognized No. 17 overall on Entrepreneur's prestigious Franchise 500 list in 2023. For more information about franchising with Smoothie King, visit SmoothieKingFranchise.com or follow the brand on social media @SmoothieKing.

Contact:
Isabella Bobillo
Fish Consulting
954-893-9150
[email protected]

SOURCE Smoothie King