Tropical Smoothie Café, the leading fast casual café concept known for its better-for-you food and smoothies with a tropical twist, announced today it will open its first restaurant in Lake Forest, Calif., in mid-January. This is part of the brand’s aggressive franchise development plans for the state, which includes future locations in Rancho Cucamonga, Foothill Ranch, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch, Fountain Valley, Orange and Rancho Santa Margarita. Over the next five years, the food and smoothie franchise will open nearly two dozen cafés throughout Southern California.
“Opening our first cafés in California is a significant milestone for our 19-year-old brand,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Café. “We’re thrilled to be working with several franchisees who are committed to bringing Tropical Smoothie Café to California and are dedicated to helping us grow. Tropical Smoothie Café is a perfect fit for the Californian lifestyle and we’re confident these communities will embrace our brand and all that we have to offer. We look forward to continuing our franchise growth throughout the state over the next several years.”
Franchisee RanaKaran “R.K.” Sidhu is leading the expansion plans in Orange County with the first café in Lake Forest located at 23841 El Toro Road, Suite C – E127. The café’s grand opening event will be held on Jan. 29from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy a complimentary smoothie by participating in the ‘Smoothie Selfie’ offer. When guests arrive, they will be encouraged to share a ‘selfie’ of themselves with a smoothie on their favorite social media network and in exchange they will receive a free smoothie.
The cafés in California will feature Tropical Smoothie Café’s new menu, featuring toasted wraps and flatbreads, bowls, salads, house-made sides, all-day breakfast, a kids menu and, of course, the brand’s delicious smoothies. Guests can select from a menu of Superfood Smoothies that feature ingredients such as spinach, kale, acai, pomegranate, ginger and avocado; Supercharged Smoothies like the Chia Banana Boost and Muscle Blaster; and many more. Additionally, Tropical Smoothie Café offers a wide variety of supplements like probiotics and whey protein, as well as fresh add-ins like granola, whole grain oats and ginger.
Sidhu recently had become a franchise owner with Tropical Smoothie Café. Following medical school, he decided to follow his passion for real estate development and hospitality by joining his family’s business developing Hilton and Marriott properties across three states. Last year, Sidhu signed agreements to open 10 Tropical Smoothie Café locations in Orange County, as well as 10 in the Greater San Diego area. In February, Sidhu will open his second café in Foothill Ranch, followed by a third in Irvine.
“My decision to franchise with Tropical Smoothie Café was due in part to my family’s 20 years of experience in the industry and also to my lifestyle at the time. I had neglected my health and gained a lot of weight. When my friend introduced me to Tropical Smoothie Café, I immediately became an avid fan. With the help of Tropical Smoothie Cafe and regular exercise, the weight began to come off. Within a year, I had lost almost 95 pounds and began to see life in a new light,” Sidhu said. “After talking to corporate about franchising opportunities, I spent time looking at the competition in Southern California and talking to customers. I quickly realized no one offered anything close to the variety and quality of Tropical Smoothie Café.”
Rancho Cucamonga, Foothill Ranch, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch, Fountain Valley, Orange and Rancho Santa Margarita.
