Tropical Smoothie Cafe appoints Cheryl Fletcher as chief development officer

Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, the franchisor of more than 915 locations throughout the U.S., has announced the promotion of Cheryl Fletcher to chief development officer for the brand. This comes after Fletcher joined the organization four years ago, and has been instrumental in the growth of its franchise network.

“Cheryl is hands down the best pipeline expert in the franchising business,” said Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC. “Our franchise development strategy and growth has thrived under her leadership; especially through the challenges of the past year.

“She is one of the primary reasons we have 600 new cafes in our opening pipeline and are on track to reach more than 1,000 operating locations in 2021. Cheryl goes the extra mile to get results that drive the business forward, all while leading an accomplished team. I look forward to seeing the new heights our brand will reach with her as our chief development officer.”

Since Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe, the brand has sold more than 750 franchise agreements, negotiated more than 500 leases, and celebrated more than 380 grand openings.

She joined the brand off the back of a 17-year tenure with Popeyes, where she led the company’s franchise development and strategic planning.

“Cheryl is that rare mentor who leads with both her head and her heart. She’s mastered the art of knowing when to push while still being kind,” said Watson. “Passionate about business imperatives, she builds solid relationships based on deep trust and accountability within our support center and among our franchisees. She always puts our franchisees first and operates as if their bottom line is her bottom line.”