National Marketing, Unit-Level Support Drive Sales at Tropical Smoothie

This communicative is portion of "Post-Close: An Inside Look astatine Franchise M&A Outcomes," a integer bid successful which Franchise Times revisits past Dealmakers winners to research however they're putting concern dollars to work, if integration of that acquisition is going arsenic planned and what they've learned successful the process.

Check retired much Post-Close stories here.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe relation Jim Breidenstein has noticed improvements successful the past 2 years astatine the marque level, from selling to maturation to field-level support.

"They've truly prioritized growth," said Breidenstein, who owns 8 locations. "I thought the marque did a bully occupation at—this is important—preparing for their maturation spurt."

Tropical Smoothie opened its 1,700th determination successful April, which is astir 330 much than erstwhile Blackstone bought the marque successful 2024 astatine a $2 cardinal valuation. It's acceptable to unfastened store No. 1,800 by the extremity of the twelvemonth and has much than 900 stores successful the pipeline. Tropical Smoothie has locations successful 44 states.

CEO Max Wetzel, who was appointed successful 2024 aft Charles Watson stepped down, said the marque consolidated its media efforts past year. National selling campaigns person accrued marque consciousness by 19 percent twelvemonth implicit year, according to the company, and the fig of loyalty members is astatine 12 million, a 25 percent summation since this clip past year.

Franchisees wage a 5 percent nationalist selling fee, connected apical of the 6 percent royalty fee.

It deployed a caller "Eat Some Good" media run crossed digital, accepted and societal platforms.

"As we commencement to ramp up successful the summer, you'll spot much and much of our advertising," Wetzel said. "It's beauteous breathtaking to spot the interaction that's starting to happen. We're still, I'd say, astatine the opening of our marque consciousness journey."

Breidenstein is connected a maturation spurt of his own, with 3 much stores successful development. Tropical Smoothie has made the opening process elemental and quick, helium said. "I truly admit that continued support," Briedenstein said.

To hole to unfastened hundreds of caller stores nether Blackstone, Tropical Smoothie brought connected much employees to enactment franchisees astatine the portion level.

"The biggest alteration for each of america [since the acquisition] is … much of a familiarization of the staffing to enactment america arsenic they spell done the changes. I volition accidental it's been comparatively seamless," helium said. "They besides did a truly bully occupation astatine making the effort to support america franchisees updated connected each the changes from a unit perspective."

Wetzel said Tropical Smoothie is focused connected "strong, disciplined maturation and investments. … We're starting to spot the benefits of that."