The range is based on estimated costs for End-Cap or In-Line Tropical Smoothie Cafe Restaurants, which include those located in or at strip style retail shopping centers but does not include drive-thrus. Previously with Papa Johns International as the Vice President, Global Digital Technology, Michael is a seasoned technology executive with vast engineering and operations expertise, leadership, and a deep understanding of digital technology and guest experiences. For many, many years, its been the Bahama Mama. No credit card required. While our projected 2020 growth might take a step back due to the coronavirus, I believe our approach to navigating through this will help us emerge quickly once it passes. Net Worth Requirement $350,000 . I think they can be used throughout the day and utilized in guests diets. Then I was our chief development officer and Ive been our CEO for about three years now. He is directly responsible for selling more than 800 franchises. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 No Place Like Home: Home Service Franchises Enjoy Continued Growth During Times Of Financial Difficulty, Little Caesars Pizza Franchise Set To Relaunch In The UK, The Importance Of Having A Franchise Exit Strategy. Was it a pleasant surprise, expected, or was it a bit of both? Vice President Franchise Development. We strive to continue to harness these relationships in this way and feel that this approach will continue to fuel our success. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has deals in place for hundreds more locations in the pipeline and is on track to meet Charles' aggressive goal to hit 1,500 locations by the end of 2024. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200, Atlanta, GA 30338. Its getting involved in the local community. When asked about developing people skills with a generation used to communicating online, Its an opportunity for us as managers and Franchise Owners to teach the staff how to greet people, look them in the eye, and ask how may I serve you today? Its our job to teach the next generation. Atlanta, GA 30338 Previously with Papa Johns International as the Vice President, Global Digital Technology, Michael is a seasoned technology executive with vast engineering and operations expertise, leadership, and a deep understanding of digital technology and guest experiences. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 Yes, I am putting my mark on the brand and culture, but I have been around long enough not to stray too far from the DNA of the brand.". We gathered that feedback and used it to set goals and action plans for the company. Watson: Our franchisees are the heart of our brand, so we wanted to make sure we were doing everything we could to help them stay afloat through the crisis. Charles Watson is Chief Executive Officer at Tropical Smoothie Cafe Corp. See Charles Watson's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. Mark Montini joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe as Chief Marketing Officer in October 2019. Occhiogrosso: What were the one or two unique challenges that you faced upon taking over as CEO? Tropical Smoothie Caf Income Statement Key Insights-Analysis based off Predecessor 2020-Overall, Tropical Smoothie Caf is a profitable business, with a net income of $7.6 million in 2020. One of the biggest expenses seen in the income statement is $12 million spent in . Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson admits that his brand isn't always at the leading edge when it comes to technology innovation. ATLANTA, July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a leading national fast-casual cafe franchise known for both its better-for-you smoothies and food with a . See where were looking to grow to meet the incredible demand. Passion and brand vision continue to guide the way. Then we determined two focus areas, giving back to the community and prioritizing support for our franchisees. Excludes non-traditional locations and Restaurants that were not open for at least 357 days in 2021. "Our franchisees are the heart of our brand, so we wanted to make sure we were doing everything we could to help them stay afloat through the crisis. Charles Watson is currently an Atlanta-based correspondent for Fox News Mediacovering the southeastern portion of the United States. And now is the right time to buy." . A veteran franchise professional, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies including Intercontinental Hotels Group and US Franchise Systems. 770-580-2333 Watson has been with Tropical Smoothie Cafe for many years now, so he has seen the growth up close. In this role, Mark leads brand, marketing, product, and digital innovations core functions of delivering the remarkable guest experience that drives Tropical Smoothie Cafes success. Richard has served in a franchise operations capacity for more than 20 years with brands such as TCBY, Carvel, and Moes Southwest Grill. I and/or my business partner(s) have the following financials, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC What were the one or two unique challenges that you faced upon taking over as CEO? Beyond just smoothies, we serve better-for-you . My experience with the brand up to that point was beneficial because I was already very immersed in the operations and processes that had contributed to its success at that time. Your results may differ. So thats always up there. So another boldly flavored product, thats been a number one seller for gosh, probably five, six years at this point. So weve been able to do that. The offering is by prospectus only. Watson: "I think when taking over any brand where you worked alongside your predecessor, there's a certain level of pressure to continue carrying the torch, but also to make necessary changes to the brand to evolve with the changing economy and consumer trends. Beyond that, we need to provide training. It was important to me that we have franchisees themselves share their feedback and align on system initiatives and goals. Building off this momentum, in 2019, we celebrated the openings of our 750th and 800th locations, but taking over during such a monumental time for our brand certainly brought opportunities to improve. Players MAY win multiple prizes in a. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of franchise development, real estate, design and construction and franchise administration and helped grow the system from 265 open units to 725 open units. Outside of smoothies, whats the top-selling non-smoothie product? Weve implemented various franchisee support initiatives, including decreased royalties by 50%, ongoing support with PPP loans and real estate deferrals and abatements, rolling out curbside delivery systemwide, deployed hyper-local marketing strategies to drive business within a 12-mile radius of cafes, among many others. New York State Disclaimer: This advertisement is not an offering. Charles is directly responsible for selling more than 800 franchises during his tenure. Yeah. Charles Watson:"Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, I worked for several hotel and hospitality-centric companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels Group, US Franchise Systems, Inc. and Hospitality Real Estate Counselors. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise system's . Show them that we care. Watson will lead us through our next phase of strategic growth. Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Pete served as the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance/Risk Officer at Popeyes for over 10 years and has extensive experience handling corporate transactions, both in-house and in private practice. Charles also serves on the boards of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program. CHARLES WATSON: Sure, absolutely. The fact that nearly 60% of all new Tropical Smoothie Cafe units are opened by existing franchisees underscores the franchise owner's satisfaction with the concept, the company, and it's leadership. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. And that really got us down this road of: What is our purpose? Well, we just talked about Camp Sunshine and we have a smoothie called the Sunshine Smoothie that is orange and mango based. Early in his career, Mark served the franchise industry as a supplier, delivering innovative technology-enabled marketing strategies to help emerging franchise concepts rapidly scale and grow revenue through local-level marketing and sales. When Charles Watson became the new Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO in 2019, the company claimed that it could be looking at $1 billion in sales in the next five years. The offering is by prospectus only. Were working on it. In this role, Mark leads brand, marketing, product, and digital innovations core functions of delivering the remarkable guest experience that drives Tropical Smoothie Cafes success. TropicalSmoothie.com. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Richard was the Vice President of Operations, West Division, for Papa Murphys International where he was responsible for field operations and marketing. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has deals in place for hundreds more locations in the pipeline and is on track to meet Charles' aggressive goal to hit 1,500 locations by the end of 2024. Charles Watson, the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Care, was thrilled with his company's performance so far this year . Nov 10, 2021, 09:36 ET. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. We want to capture both the head and the heart of our consumers. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is rounding out yet another year of impressive growth. The chain plans on opening an astonishing 200 locations this year alone, which will mean it's opening its 1000th restaurant. Prior to Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Mark served as Chief Marketing Officer with Floor Coverings International where he was responsible for driving the brands digital transformation and leadership position in service-based franchising. In my case, because I already had nearly a decade with Tropical Smoothie Cafe on the franchise development side, I had the unique advantage of personal relationships with our franchise community. In 2018, when I was named CEO, we had more than 720 locations open nationwide. By Jonathan Maze on Jan. 24, 2019. Mr. Watson was appointed the CEO position of Tropical Smoothie Cafe in December 2018. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has deals in place for hundreds more locations in the pipeline and is on track to meet Charles aggressive goal to hit 1,500 locations by the end of 2024. Paul Marsden oversees development and execution of financial strategies to support the companys business plans. Theyre not just a snack day part, etc. F-9894), New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Prior to being named CEO in 2018, Charles served as the chief development officer for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. As a 35 year veteran of the restaurant and franchise industry, I have always been fascinated by the challenges, risks, rewards, and day to day "work" a CEO faces when first taking the helm of an ongoing franchise organization. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson Tells Us Everything About The Franchise - Exclusive Interview. An offering can only be made by prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. The offerings have evolved over the years to include a menu of breakfast and lunch items beyond smoothies. This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. Charles also serves on the boards of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program. This information appears in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. Because 99% of Tropical Smoothie Cafe's system is franchisee-owned and operated, it was my goal to maintain consistency for them and move the company forward in the right direction, with a lot of reverence and respect for the past. Its in Casco, Maine, Camp Sunshine. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, the leading national fast-casual cafe concept known for both its better-for-you smoothies and food with a tropical twist, announces the appointment of Charles Watson as the new Chief Executive Officer. Youre asking me to pick which kid I like the best. Whats your favorite cuisine outside of Tropical Smoothie? 26, 2021. So I actually see myself very much like our consumer who wants to make better choices, but you know what? I and/or my business partner(s) have the following financials, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC The brands dedication to Inspire Better in all aspects of the business resonated with me from day one. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has deals in place for hundreds more locations in the pipeline and is on track to meet Charles aggressive goal to hit 1,500 locations by the end of 2024. As a brand, we strive for excellence in service and creating a culture of hospitality for our business no matter which location you visit, and this year we're prioritizing them even further by enhancing pillars of our hospitality-centric culture and the technology we use to create convenience for our guests in order to reinforce our position as the leader in our segment. Its the high quality ingredients. Charles Watson, CEO Corporate Address . Michael brings 20 years of foundational IT skills and core functions of digital knowledge critical to shaping our journey to reach guests via innovative technologies. webtv.net; 5+ 404-210-XXXX; 770-670-XXXX; 770-821-XXXX; 770-580-XXXX; 770-821-XXXX; 678949XXXX; Paul Marsden Chief Financial Officer . And drive their economic engine. While we had always involved franchisees, I felt it needed to be formalized and more visible to our franchise system. The success of our brand is about the talent and drive of our talented executives and Support Center team. I may have been, in fact, the person responsible for awarding them a franchise! Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. I try to pass along that spirit and advice to others. And it has also driven franchise development and growth, so more units coming out. 770-580-2333, NRN Editors Discuss Digital Engagement with CMO Deborah von Kutzleben, In Her Own Words: Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisees gain Cheryl Fletchers support, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Opens First Double Drive-Thru Location. Occhiogrosso: How is taking the reins of an existing company different than being part of a startup or a founder? With extensive experience in the food service industry, Paul comes to Tropical Smoothie Cafe from Popeyes, where he served as the Chief Accounting Officer and spent nearly two decades working in the brands financial and accounting departments. Our franchisees and their teams are the faces community members see daily, and the dedication from them is truly whats given us so much success in recent years. Charles Watson serves as CEO for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. And so I think thats only going to fuel our continued growth going forward. We strive to continue to harness these relationships in this way and feel that this approach will continue to fuel our success. He was previously Tropical Smoothie Cafe's Chief Development Officer since 2016, after serving as VP of Franchise Development since 2010. I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to lead such an incredible brand that has truly become a part of my DNA over many years, said Watson. Did you foresee the level of growth the chain has experienced of late? A veteran franchise professional, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies including Intercontinental Hotels Group and US Franchise Systems. "Relationships Rule" is one of our core values, and because of that, people are at the heart of our company. We decreased royalties and deployed hyper-local marketing strategies to drive business within a 1to 2-mile radius of cafes. Your results may differ. So I think theres a misconception with some brands that, for example a Slurpee, its not at all a Slurpee, its absolutely whole real fruit, ice, water, very basic items. Are there misconceptions about smoothies you want cleared up? In response to a question about the culture of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Watson elaborated: The mission of Tropical Smoothie Cafe is to inspire a healthier lifestyle. As you know, the restaurant industry has taken a huge hit. What is something you wish more people knew about the chain and its products? Occhiogrosso: During the current COVID-19 crisis, what steps have you taken to ensure that Tropical Smoothie Cafe supports the local community? Atlanta, GA 30338 So that was helpful! As their franchise website states: "Tropical Smoothie Cafes menu boasts bold, flavorful smoothies with a healthy appeal, all made-to-order with quality ingredients. And what we were able to do is to take a smaller organization that was scrappy, just like Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and really build their endowment and really serve a lot of families. I love those states, [but] those are not really key states for us at this point, our big bastions out west are Las Vegas and Phoenix. Our company sells about 200 franchises, opens over 120 cafes a year, and has more than 500 locations in the pipeline. We decreased royalties and deployed hyper-local marketing strategies to drive business within a 1to 2-mile radius of cafes. That created a kind of blueprint that served as the foundation for me to take the reins and lead the company the way I felt was best. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200, Atlanta, GA 30338. Charles is a graduate of The Hotel School at Cornell University and holds a Master of Business Administration from The Terry College of Business at The University of Georgia. Von Kutzleben most recently served as vice president of brand strategy, advertising and menu at Arbys. In short, franchisees needed to know that there was a formal mechanism of their peers that was constantly feeding back to us at the Support Center. A Tropical Smoothie Caf is a better-for-you, fast-casual restaurant business offering freshly prepared food and smoothies served in a fun, friendly environment. In todays restaurant industry, consumers are always looking for the next trendy item or the next emerging concept. I love that. So I think a great franchisee base, and products and innovation that people want. 770-580-2333, NRN Editors Discuss Digital Engagement with CMO Deborah von Kutzleben, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Achieves New Milestones in 2022, These Will Be The 10 Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chains In 2023. Watson:"When COVID-19 struck the restaurant landscape in mid-March, we closed all dining rooms and shifted our focus to drive-thru, curbside pickup, and delivery where available. We like to call it chopping wood, meaning you dont decide when quitting time is; you simply get the work done. The range is based on estimated costs for End-Cap or In-Line Tropical Smoothie Cafe Restaurants, which include those located in or at strip style retail shopping centers but does not include drive-thrus. "I've been with Tropical Smoothie since 2010 and was [first] our vice president of franchise development," he told Mashed. Day-to-day I would say my favorite is the Avocolada Smoothie. Tropical Smoothie is a Georgia-based company that owns and operates a chain of restaurants serving smoothies, sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups. Occhiogrosso: What are some of the additional support initiatives you put in place for your franchise community during the pandemic? That created a kind of blueprint that served as the foundation for me to take the reins and lead the company the way I felt was best. Tropical Smoothie Cafe on Thursday said it has named Charles Watson its permanent CEO as it works to grow into a $1 billion company within five years. And by the way, thats one way Tropical Smoothie Cafe has grown so big so fast the food. A veteran hospitality professional . On April 16 we met our goal of 100,000 smoothies, but our franchisees havent stopped there, and the new challenge is to donate a total of one million smoothies by the end of May. In a highly competitive segment, we're one of the fastest-growing quick-casual brands, opening 124 new locations in 2019 alone and singing 213 development agreements to open hundreds of businesses over the next few years.". For more information about owning a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise, complete our form! Or the Hummus Veggie Wrap? He has been instrumental in developing the culture of Tropical Smoothie Cafe and earning the trust of our franchisees. For the fiscal year 2021, these End-Cap and In-Line Tropical Smoothie Cafe Restaurants typically ranged in size from 1,200 to 1,900 square feet. charles watson tropical smoothie net worth The smoothie-and-food chain has been a strong grower for years and turned on the jets so far in 2021. Call now and speak to a franchise development leader. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Not the Charles Watson you were looking for? See where were looking to grow to meet the incredible demand. Theres an obvious answer for me here, and thats to put your heart into what you do. Mr. Watson was appointed the CEO position of. Von Kutzleben most recently served as vice president of brand strategy, advertising and menu at Arbys. Charles Watson serves as CEO for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. If its not run-of-the-mill bland food, we want to bring a little bit of a culinary experience to quick casual, and still provide convenience, and value, and all those kinds of things. Because we want to help with your meal and your food, etc. I was born with a strong work ethic. We add some spice to it. Fast CasualAn interview with Tim Tang of HughesDecember 2, 2019. At the end of the day, we are a restaurant company and how great our food and smoothies are determines [success]. CALIFORNIA DISCLAIMER: THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. Now were really taking the lead from our franchisees and building out DMAs organically from outside them. See where were looking to grow to meet the incredible demand. CALIFORNIA DISCLAIMER: THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. Watson: "Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual cafe concept inspiring healthier lifestyles with more than 850 locations in 44 states. Building off this momentum, in 2019, we celebrated the openings of our 750th and 800th locations, but taking over during such a monumental time for our brand certainly brought opportunities to improve. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Pete served as the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance/Risk Officer at Popeyes for over 10 years and has extensive experience handling corporate transactions, both in-house and in private practice. 5 free lookups per month. What was your plan for the first 90 days? 2~10() . Beyond just smoothies, we serve better-for-you wraps, sandwiches, and flatbreads, and pride ourselves on living at the "intersection of taste, convenience, and hospitality." If you don't have a Tropical Smoothie Cafe near your home yet, just wait a bit. Next year marks 25 years since the brands founding. CLOSE. Over the next five years, our goals are to reach 1,500 cafes open across the U.S., with over 18% profitability for our franchisees on average volumes in excess of $1M, all with very high operational satisfaction for our guests. TropicalSmoothie.com. An offering can only be made by prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Michael Lapid joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in October of 2019 to the role of Chief Information and Digital Officer. New York State Disclaimer: This advertisement is not an offering. In this role, Mark leads brand, marketing, product, and digital innovations core functions of delivering the remarkable guest experience that drives Tropical Smoothie Cafes success. Prior to that, she spent 22 years at BBDO Worldwide, where she was executive vice president and senior director for the global advertising powerhouse, leading campaign strategy and execution for many large national brands. Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. Nobody knew what was going to happen. Charles Watson CEO. 13, 2021, 08:36 AM. "I wanted to further instill a franchisee-first mentality. Your results may differ. Every day is a day to celebrate at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, with all the success were having. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise systems sustainable growth, the success of its franchisees, and the execution of the brands Inspire Better mission. In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. So again, I mentioned earlier menu innovation. Charles is directly responsible for selling more than 800 franchises during his tenure. The way [Tropical Smoothie Cafe works in markets], we work the suburbs and the outskirts, and move our way into cities. In 2018, when I was named CEO, we had more than 720 locations open nationwide. So I was compelled to ask Mr. Watson his thoughts on the pandemic and the company's response. we dont want to go to Manhattan and open 30 locations. From there, we set up committees, reporting into our TFC, around the major parts of our business, and included more franchisees to provide feedback and work with us on further improving IT, Marketing, Design, and Construction, etc. The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. Previously with Papa Johns International as the Vice President, Global Digital Technology, Michael is a seasoned technology executive with vast engineering and operations expertise, leadership, and a deep understanding of digital technology and guest experiences.