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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Smoothie King Franchise

Smoothie King is a fast-casual franchise built around custom blended smoothies formulated to support specific health goals: fitness recovery, weight management, energy, and meal replacement. Founded in 1973 in Kenner, Louisiana, the brand has grown to more than 1,200 US locations and positions itself as the largest dedicated smoothie franchise in the country.

Stores blend to order from a menu organized around named nutritional purposes, using no artificial colors or preservatives. Location formats include inline strip-center units, end-cap locations, and freestanding drive-thru builds, giving buyers flexibility in site type and investment scale. The operating model is designed as low-labor, with strong appeal to multi-unit investors; the system includes over 200 active multi-unit operators.

Smoothie King is privately held and headquartered in Coppell, Texas. The brand was acquired in 2012 by Wan Kim, a former South Korean franchisee who had opened more than 100 locations in South Korea before purchasing the company. The business also holds sports partnerships with teams including the New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks, and Dallas Cowboys, supporting local brand visibility in those markets.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no Smoothie King resales available

Why buy a Smoothie King Franchise?

With more than five decades of operation and over 30 consecutive years on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, Smoothie King carries strong brand recognition in a growing health-and-wellness category. The menu targets consumers seeking functional nutrition, with particular strength among Gen Z and millennial buyers who regularly visit smoothie bars as part of their routine. To buy a Smoothie King franchise is to enter a system with established national advertising, a branded consumer app, and sports team partnerships that reinforce local visibility.

The low-labor format and three store configurations make the model adaptable across a range of locations and investment levels. Multi-unit operators make up a large share of the system, reflecting the scalability experienced investors have found in the concept. Franchisee support includes a dedicated intranet, ongoing marketing resources, and a direct operations support team.

Smoothie King Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1973

    • Franchising Since

      1988

    • New Startup Cost

      $346,350 – $1,277,650

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $30,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $7,500 – $12,500

      plus $5,000 Grand Opening Advertising

    • Royalty Fee

      6%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      3%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      1201

    • New Units Opened *

      85

    • Units Transferred *

      108

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $659,567

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Smoothie King – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Smoothie King delivers a four-week initial training program: three weeks of in-store instruction at a regional Certified Training Store and one week of classroom training at the Home Office in Coppell, Texas, covering 74–102 classroom hours and 100–240 hours of on-the-job instruction. Ongoing franchisee support includes a dedicated intranet platform, national advertising campaigns, and a direct operations support team. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and system access are provided to incoming owners at the point of sale.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The ideal Smoothie King franchisee is comfortable managing a retail food-service environment with a focus on consistent customer experience and team efficiency. Restaurant experience is not required; candidates with backgrounds in sales, marketing, retail, or food service tend to fit the model well. A genuine interest in health and wellness is an asset. The concept suits both hands-on owner-operators and experienced multi-unit investors. Day-to-day responsibilities include staff management, customer engagement, and local brand promotion.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Smoothie King has appeared on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 for more than 30 consecutive years, a record that placed the brand in Entrepreneur's Franchise Hall of Fame. In 2026 the brand ranked #17 on the Franchise 500 and received the Franchise Business Review Top Franchises Satisfaction Award and a Nation's Restaurant News MenuMaster Award for Best Healthful Menu Innovation. The brand ranked #19 in 2025 and #15 in 2024 on the same list, and has been consistently ranked among Entrepreneur's Top Brands for Multi-Unit Owners, placing #11 in both 2024 and 2025.

  4. Industry / Market

    The North American smoothies market was valued at approximately $5.98 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of around 9.86% through 2034, according to MarketDataForecast (January 2026). The United States accounts for roughly 86% of regional demand. Consumer focus on preventive health, functional nutrition, and on-the-go meal options continues to drive category growth, with particularly strong adoption among Gen Z and millennial consumers. Smoothie bars occupy a well-established position within the broader US health-and-wellness spending category.

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