RALEIGH, N.C., June 27, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tropical Smoothie Café, the rapidly expanding franchise known for its healthy food with a tropical twist, announced today the signing of a multi-unit development deal with Raleigh entrepreneur Sherman Dye which will bring five Tropical Smoothie Café restaurants to the city in the next three years.
Dye, a 32-year veteran of the restaurant industry, spent 28 years with the Burger King Corporation serving in various roles and capacities including Franchisee, Director of Operations and Market Manager. Other past positions include Director of Operations for Deliverance, Ltd of London and Vice President of Installation and Service at Wentworth Technology, a restaurant technology company Dye co-founded that created a cutting-edge headset system for quick-service restaurants.
"It's a fun and healthy concept that serves some of the best food and real-fruit smoothies I have ever tasted," said Dye. "I also love the simplicity of the Tropical Smoothie Café business model and the fact that it is a healthier alternative to typical fast food that I can feel good about serving to customers."
Tropical Smoothie Café operates nine cafés across North Carolina, three locations in the Raleigh-Durham market, and others in Nags Head, Southern Shores, Greenville, Winston Salem and Southport.
"This deal proves that demand for our brand is growing," said Tropical Smoothie Café CEO Mike Rotondo. "In addition to single-unit operators, we are continuing to attract growth-minded, experienced restaurateurs that are looking for a fun, lucrative investment."
The new Raleigh deal is part of the 341-unit brand's nationwide growth strategy to open 40 additional locations throughout the U.S. in 2013.
The unrivaled brand positioning of "healthy food with a tropical twist" has catapulted Tropical Smoothie Café to the forefront of the quick-casual segment. By pairing made-to-order smoothies with healthy, innovative menu items, Tropical Smoothie Café appeals to a broad consumer base during all day-parts. The menu features a variety of specialty wraps, sandwiches, grilled flatbreads and salads, along with its high-quality, real-fruit smoothies.
About Tropical Smoothie Café
Established in 1997, Tropical Smoothie Café has taken the smoothie concept to the next level by offering diners a healthy alternative to typical fast food. The concept, which introduced food in 1999, provides consumers with a variety of high-quality real-fruit smoothies, specialty wraps, sandwiches, grilled flatbreads and salads. The company also caters. Tropical Smoothie Café includes menu options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For several consecutive years, Tropical Smoothie Café has been included in Entrepreneur magazine's "Franchise 500" list as well as ranked in the publication's "America's Top Global" franchise category. Tropical Smoothie Café has 341 locations open in the United States, with an additional 35 currently in development. For more information, including franchising opportunities, visit www.tropicalsmoothiecafe.com.