Smoothie King, with 50+ Years of Expertise Making Nutrition Delicious, Announces New Brand Evolution Plan Designed to Reinforce Category Leadership and Accelerate Growth

Next chapter unveiled with new "The Best Kind of Delicious" brand campaign and in-store transformation, alongside new De-Dupe program to celebrate over 50 years of balancing nutrients and flavor

DALLAS, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Smoothie King, driven by a deep commitment to care for its guests and communities and guided by its vision to make the world a better place by nourishing healthy habits, is marking the beginning of the next chapter in its rich history by introducing a new brand evolution plan. The new plan is designed to build on its continued momentum, reinforce category leadership, and accelerate long-term growth. With more than 200 new store commitments, over 1,500 available trade areas in its development pipeline and a newly expanded food menu, Smoothie King is investing in its future and setting the foundation for its next 50 years of growth. Built around a deep commitment to care – for guests, their health journeys, and the communities it serves – the new brand evolution introduces a transformed in-store experience and expanded menu offerings, all rolling out over the coming year. This also includes a new "The Best Kind of Delicious" brand campaign and De-Dupe program to spotlight that when it comes to your health and building healthy habits, no one should take shortcuts.

In 1973, Smoothie King introduced a new category to the world, coining the term "smoothie" and establishing its leadership from the start. Since then, the brand has remained committed to making nutrition delicious. Nutrition can feel overwhelming, but Smoothie King has done the nutritional work so you don't have to. With over 50 years of expertise, the brand has a unique approach that no one has been able to replicate, designing each recipe from the ground up and working with their nutritional experts to balance nutrients and flavor.

To celebrate its legacy and over 50 years of expertise, Smoothie King is introducing the Smoothie De-Dupe Program, inspired by the rise of "dupe culture" where consumers may embrace lookalikes across fashion, beauty, and beyond. You can dupe many things, but Smoothie King reminds consumers that when it comes to health and building healthy habits, you shouldn't take shortcuts. Smoothie King is inviting guests to bring in a receipt from any other smoothie purchase and "de-dupe" it by trading them for smoothies supporting healthy habits. The program runs today through Thursday, April 23.

"This brand evolution is about building on what we started more than 50 years ago and reinforcing the role only Smoothie King can play in the category we created," said Gavin Felder, President of Smoothie King. "We've always crafted every recipe with intention and care – balancing great taste with clear nutritional benefits – and that foundation continues to guide how we grow. By expanding our menu, investing in our in-store experience, and innovating in partnership with our franchisees, we're strengthening our leadership position while building a powerful platform ready to scale for our next 50 years."

Smoothie King's new brand evolution is grounded in consumer insights and performance data, reinforcing the brand's commitment to caring for and listening to its guests. As consumer expectations evolve, Smoothie King is doubling down on what sets it apart: thoughtfully crafted recipes and doing the nutritional heavy lifting so you can focus on feeling your best, as Smoothie King offers the best kind of delicious. The new brand evolution brings the same level of care behind every smoothie to the in-store experience, design, and every touch point to ensure every guest feels cared for from the moment they walk in.

• National Menu Expansion & Growth: The brand's food menu has quickly become a key growth driver, with an expanding lineup that will soon include Flatbreads, alongside continued innovation in high protein offerings. Smoothie King is also rolling out ovens across the system – at no equipment cost to its existing franchisees – to support broader food expansion and continue to open more doors for growth, customer reach and profitability.

• National "The Best Kind of Delicious" Campaign: A new national campaign, "The Best Kind of Delicious" brings Smoothie King's care commitment to life, launching now across traditional TV, CTV, OOH, social and digital media. The creative taps into a highly relatable challenge: with the abundance of online opinions surrounding nutrition today, it can be difficult to cut through the noise and identify a source consumers can trust. This is where Smoothie King stands apart. For more than 50 years, the brand's nutritional experts have developed smoothies that thoughtfully balance nutrition with delicious taste crafted to support a range of healthy habits, so all consumers have to do is enjoy what Smoothie King calls "the best kind of delicious." See the spots linked here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ-ecZOvA96ETg1Lzf9UPkThIRuOxSaj-

• In-Store Design & Guest Experience: Smoothie King will be gradually introducing a refreshed in-store design and guest experience intentionally built to express care through every touchpoint. Moving away from the more stark, functional aesthetic of the past, the updated design introduces warmth and approachability to better align with the brand's vision. After consumer research, Smoothie King refined its interiors with branded artwork and merchandising, including a smoothie-inspired installation made from its iconic red straws, integrated greenery, a redesigned menu board, updated lighting, and a warmer color palette. These updates were thoughtfully designed to be both impactful for guests and practical to implement across the system. Together, these elements create a layered sensory experience that brings the brand's care commitment to life and fosters a more warm, welcoming environment for guests.

"At the heart of this evolution is a deep understanding of what our guests want and need from us today," said Claudia Schaefer, Chief Marketing Officer at Smoothie King. "Through extensive research and feedback, we've redefined how we show up across every touchpoint – from our menu to our messaging to the in-store experience – to better reflect our care and vision to make the world a better place by nourishing healthy habits."

This evolution marks a pivotal moment for Smoothie King as it builds on a legacy of innovation while setting the foundation for its future. With a growing footprint, an expanding menu, and a renewed focus on guest experience, the brand is leading the category into its next era.

For more information on Smoothie King, visit www.smoothieking.com.

ABOUT SMOOTHIE KING FRANCHISES, INC.
Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the original U.S. smoothie franchise, is a privately held, Dallas-based company with more than 1,200 units nationwide. It was founded in 1973 with the mission to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle

Today, with over 50 years focused on making nutrition delicious and guided by a vision to make the world a better place by nourishing healthy habits, Smoothie King continues to design each smoothie from the ground up, working with their nutritional experts to balance nutrients and flavor. In April 2023, Smoothie King expanded beyond smoothies with the launch of Smoothie Bowls. In 2025, the brand introduced its Power Eats Menu, its first nationwide rollout of food items, which earned Nation's Restaurant News' MenuMasters Healthful Innovation award in 2026. Smoothie King also offers retail products that include sports beverages, energy bars, vitamins, supplements, and more.

Repeatedly recognized as a top franchise opportunity, Smoothie King was recently ranked #17 in Entrepreneur Magazine's highly competitive "Franchise 500" ranking for 2026, as well as #11 in Entrepreneur's 2025 Top Brands for Multi-Unit Owners and #11 in its 2025 Top Franchises for Veterans feature. Smoothie King was also included in the 2025 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list, Technomic's Top 500 Chains and Franchise Times 2025 Top 400.

Press Contact:
ALISON BROD MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS
[email protected]

SOURCE Smoothie King