Tropical Smoothie Cafe® Recognized 2019 Franchisees At Virtual Summer Celebration

The Summer Celebration virtual event was held in lieu of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe annual convention, which was cancelled earlier this year due to COVID-19. The first-ever online ceremony hosted hundreds of attendees who joined together with the Tropical Smoothie Cafe executive team and corporate support center to acknowledge and reward the company’s leading franchisees and crew members for their exceptional work throughout 2019. Among those recognized were BJ Crist, a franchisee with five locations in Louisiana, who was named Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s Multi-Unit Franchisee of the Year for his exceptional performance and consistent support of and commitment to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe system.

“While we were unable to celebrate our outstanding top performers in person at our annual convention earlier this year, we’re thrilled to recognize some of the incredible franchisees and crew members who make up our system,” said Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC. “It’s no secret that our dedicated franchise owners are the heart and soul of our brand, and their enthusiasm, community-spirited mentality and incredible achievements continue to drive the non-stop momentum at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. The 2019 honorees are truly unstoppable, and these recognitions are a testament to their passion and hard work.”

The additional 2019 award categories and recipients are as follows:

• Build the Brand - DYNE Hospitality Group, Glen Johnson and Nick Crouch; Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas

• Run Great Cafes - Dan Beaulieu; Florida

• Developer of the Year - Hani Halloun; Illinois and Michigan

• Single-Unit Franchisee of the Year - Steve Lippman; Michigan

• Manager of the Year - Zelia Miller; Georgia

• Multi-Unit Manager of the Year - Brette Winder; Utah

• Rookie of the Year - Steve and Peggy Johns; Texas

• Difference Maker - Rylan and Jennifer Miller; North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia

• Emerging Leader - Meghan Cook; Georgia

During the ceremony, Tropical Smoothie Cafe celebrated more than 180 cafes, of which, more than 115 that achieved more than $1 million in sales in 2019.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual cafe concept inspiring a healthier lifestyle with more than 850 locations nationwide. Serving better-for-you smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, and flatbreads, Tropical Smoothie Cafe also offers upgraded app technology and enhanced mobile ordering capabilities to further elevate the digital and dine-in cafe experience and emphasize the brand's focus on convenience. The rapidly growing franchise has received numerous accolades this year including rankings in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, Forbes' Best Franchises and Franchise Times' Fast and Serious list as well as Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers, QSR's Best Franchise Deals, Nation's Restaurant News' Top 200 and Top 10 Fastest Growing Chains, and Restaurant Business America's Favorite Chains.

In 2019, the brand was recognized amongst Franchise Times' Top 200+, as well as being chosen as NRAEF's Restaurant Neighbor Award Winner.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a healthier, quick-casual restaurant brand with 1,500+ locations in 44 states. One of its key differentiators is what the brand offers on the menu—a product mix of 60% smoothies and 40% food.