Tropical Smoothie Cafe, one of the fastest growing franchise concepts in the country, is excited to announce the signing of a six-unit development agreement with franchising veterans Kevin and Mike Couchman, which will expand the brand's presence throughout Ohio. The first of the new Ohio cafes is slated to open in Columbus in summer 2019. With momentum from Tropical Smoothie Cafe's development efforts, a strong pipeline of grand openings and recognition in prominent industry awards such as QSR Magazine's Best Franchise Deals, Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and Franchise Times Top 200, the company is continuing to target the Midwest as it grows its nationwide footprint.

"We've made a lot of headway in Ohio and continue to put our resources into expanding the Tropical Smoothie Cafe system throughout the state," said Charles Watson, chief development officer and interim CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC. "We first met Kevin and Mike at a meet-and-greet event we recently hosted in Ohio, where we offered local entrepreneurs an opportunity to meet with our team and experience the brand firsthand. We got to spend quality time with the Couchmans and, after getting to know them, couldn't be more thrilled to welcome them to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe brand. Their expertise and commitment to superior service will be a great asset as they expand the brand throughout Ohio."

Kevin and Mike Couchman join the Tropical Smoothie Cafe system with more than 20 years of combined experience in the franchise industry. A family of franchisees, the Couchmans currently operate 17 Jet's Pizza franchise locations throughout the Columbus metropolitan area and will be working together on overseeing the development of their six Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations across Ohio.

"Tropical Smoothie Cafe's commitment to supporting a healthier lifestyle by offering better-for-you® food and smoothies really resonated with us," said Kevin Couchman, corporate owner and operator of Ohio Smoothie Team, LLC. "Meeting the team at the meet-and-greet event earlier this year made it even more clear to us that Tropical Smoothie Cafe was exactly what we were looking for when it came to pursuing our next business venture. We know that Ohio has a young and growing population and are confident that Tropical Smoothie Cafe will continue to flourish in this market."

This six-unit franchise agreement in Ohio further expands the brand's portfolio of deals resulting from the company's meet-and-greet events, including an additional four cafes slated for Philadelphia. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC recently hosted more events in priority growth markets, Orlando and Tampa, Florida, in which further expansion efforts are currently underway.

The Tropical Smoothie Cafe food and smoothie franchise system has experienced an impressive surge in nationwide expansion in 2018, recently opening its 700^th cafe, and signing more than 150 franchise agreements to date. The company is looking to add qualified franchisees to its growing brand and currently has franchise opportunities throughout the U.S. Interested candidates should have business experience, along with $125,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $350,000. Candidates that meet these preliminary qualifications will need to make an initial investment ranging between $222,095 and $569,335. The better-for-you food franchise currently boasts an average unit volume (AUV) of more than $681,000 – the highest in the company's 21-year-history – with the top 50 percent reporting an AUV of more than $873,000.

For more information about owning a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise, please visit www.tropicalsmoothiefranchise.com.

About Tropical Smoothie Café
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a fast-casual cafe concept inspiring healthier lifestyles across the country, with 700 locations nationwide. With snack and meal options for any time of day, Tropical Smoothie Cafe serves better-for-you smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, and flatbreads. Upgraded app technology and enhanced mobile ordering capabilities 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 including rankings in QSR's Best Franchise Deals, Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, Forbes Best Franchises and Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers in 2018, as well as Franchise Times' Top 200+ and Nation's Restaurant News' Fastest Growing Chains in 2018.