", Charles Watson was named CEO in December 2018. The companys goal is to open 1,500 cafes or more by the year 2024. It is the food. Each year, franchisees complete the Franchise Business Review to essentially grade us here at the Support Center on how we're serving them. Richard Key serves as the Chief Operations Officer, responsible for overseeing the operations team and its support and training of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise community. We consider ourselves to be an approachable, healthier option for the average American, and our customer loyalty system-wide continues to climb. The success of our brand is about the talent and drive of our talented executives and Support Center team. Occhiogrosso: How do you feel about franchise advisory councils? Were in 44 states, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe does not currently have an international presence. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 Charles is a graduate of The Hotel School at Cornell University and also holds a Masters of Business Administration from The Terry School of Business at The University of Georgia. This process only helps our individual franchisees and their bottom line, respectively.". And at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we really focus on the fresh ingredients. NET WORTH * LIQUID CAPITAL/CASH AVAILABLE FOR INVESTMENT * *All fields required. My predecessor did a great job, so most of the hesitancy candidly was, "will this guy be as good, will we have the same amount of success?" 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. Occhiogrosso: How is taking the reins of an existing company different than being part of a startup or a founder? Thats a smoothie that has pineapple, strawberries, and white chocolate and coconut. Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. If you are a resident of or want to locate a franchise in one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your state. 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. 770-580-2333 I started working at a young age and because of my early drive, have been involved in a variety of industries and performed many different jobs. For me, my entrepreneurial passion really came from my parents. I may have been the smallest employee there (I had to stand on a tub used for busing tables just to reach the sink) but I had the biggest ambition. Well, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we've got 850 locations in 44 states. Watson has been with Tropical Smoothie Cafe for many years now, so he has seen the growth up close. 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. Were working on it. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. This information appears in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. And they want what they want when they want it, and thats usually right now. The guests who support local businesses in and around their communities are the ones we give the credit to because their loyalty to our cafes is what has ultimately maintained our ability to serve. Not the Charles Watson you were looking for? Share Tweet Share Pin. I think the biggest shift will take place for those restaurants that can't be open right now. It is for information purposes only. Tell us a bit about Camp Sunshine, about the partnership there, what you want people to know about it, and ways people can help support it. I write about the franchising, restaurant and food services industry. What are the brands plans for expansion and are you eyeing an international presence? Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. Sometimes youve just got to go with the taste. "As a first time CEO, learning to view the business from a thinking vs. a doing mentality was a challenge I faced. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. Excludes non-traditional locations and Restaurants that were not open for at least 357 days in 2021. We're a healthier, quick . In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. Watson has worked for the brand for more than 10 years and has been its chief development officer since 2015. Its getting involved in the local community. Then we determined two focus areas, giving back to the community and prioritizing support for our franchisees. . Prior to being named CEO in 2018, Charles served as the chief development officer for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Occhiogrosso: During the current COVID-19 crisis, what steps have you taken to ensure that Tropical Smoothie Cafe supports the local community? The role employees play in setting the customer experience in the restaurant. The best smoothie in terms of sales actually going on right now is our Mango Berry Cosmo. 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. That ultimately is our vision for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Prior to that, he was named Chief Development Officer in 2015 after serving as VP of Franchise Development since 2010. This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. He was previously. For me, its about really making sure that those DMAs [distinct market areas] or those different cities are all well represented and well connected so that our brand can compete in those different cities. While the pandemic destroyed thousands of restaurants last year, Atlanta-based Tropical Smoothie Cafe had one of its best years to date. 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.". How do you see the company moving forward? Theyre not just a snack day part, etc. We consider ourselves to be an approachable, healthier option for the average American, and our customer loyalty system-wide continues to climb. Mark Montini joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe as Chief Marketing Officer in October 2019. Although COVID-19 has directly impacted our business, some days being down more than 50 percent, we consider ourselves lucky to have a business model that allowed us to easily transition to grab-and-go, curbside, and delivery only. A veteran hospitality professional . Both of my parents had the entrepreneur bug and they definitely passed that on to me. Watson: "Like I said, I was very fortunate to have had already developed relationships with our franchise community prior to becoming CEO. I was originally a quarterback in high school and had my heart set on the same position for college. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. Yes, we have some great products on our menu that weve crafted, but you can go off script. But the Mango Berry Cosmo has overtaken it. CLOSE. We have very dedicated franchisees that just go out there and drive the business every day. We find that real fruits, veggies, and juices just taste better.". In 2018, when I was named CEO, we had more than 720 locations open nationwide. Communicate deeply. Your results may differ. Really trying to understand how to see the world through a different stakeholders' eyes is something I still work on.". A presentation for a board is focused on very different things than a franchisee roadshow. Richard has served in a franchise operations capacity for more than 20 years with brands such as TCBY, Carvel, and Moes Southwest Grill. The TFC works hand-in-hand with Tropical Smoothie on all facets of the business from operations, IT, marketing, construction, and beyond, and their genuine feedback continues to establish the open communication we strive for, helping us to enhance our business model on an ongoing basis. 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. It was not possible for me to get involved in every project so I had to learn to let go and delegate. I and/or my business partner(s) have the following financials, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC 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. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. He sat down to do an interview with Tim Tang and talked about how his brand is innovating to meet the needs of todays consumers. 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. Charles Watson serves as CEO for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. We decreased royalties and deployed hyper-local marketing strategies to drive business within a 1to 2-mile radius of cafes. Charles Watson was named CEO in December 2018. If your Franchised Business includes a drive-thru, the additional expense (including the cost of leasehold improvements, restaurant fixtures and equipment, and other costs) would be approximately $35,000 to $45,000. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. 908-236-0277. Are there misconceptions about smoothies you want cleared up? 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. *$1,009,803 System Wide Average Net Revenues. Previously, Cheryl held a 17-year tenure with Popeyes, during which she served as Vice President of Franchise Development, Vice President of Development Strategic Planning, and Director of Investor Relations and Finance. And those are the most important things that I do.. Show them that we care. You may opt-out by. 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. Passion and brand vision continue to guide the way. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about . It was important to me that we have franchisees themselves share their feedback and align on system initiatives and goals. I love a good pot roast with mashed potatoes, green beans and corn. If you dont have a Tropical Smoothie Cafe near your home yet, just wait a bit. In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. All of this information may look daunting, yet . We have a jerk chicken quesadilla, we dont come out and just do a ham or turkey sandwich. Maybe you made somebodys day just 1 percent better; you still had a positive impact. Those franchisees are serving our guests on the front lines I can't run this business without their candid feedback.". Since that time, he has led the company on its quest towards $1billion in sales by 2023. In conclusion, I believe the growth of Tropical Smoothie Cafe over the last two years demonstrates Mr. Watson's steady leadership and a clear understanding of building on the momentum that has made the brand a leader in its category. Were 100% focused on domestic right now. With 2011 winding down, how are you leveraging people, budgets, brands, and resources to meet development goals? We have three tenets in how we serve our Franchise Owners. In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. The guests who support local businesses in and around their communities are the ones we give the credit to because their loyalty to our cafes is what has ultimately maintained our ability to serve. Thatll come down over time, but were going to open 130 cafes on top of that. Beyond that, we need to provide training. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota (File No. in December 2018. Amid all the pandemic news and stories of how the foodservice business is coping with the crisis, I thought I'd attempt to redirect our attention today, even if only for a short while. Based on our fiscal year ending 12/26/2021 and includes 768 Restaurants that were open for at least 12 months as of 12/26/2021. What challenges, if any, did you face in getting "buy-in" from the existing franchise community once you became CEO? Right now Im on a Mango Berry Cosmo kick. The chain plans on opening an astonishing 200 locations this year alone, which will mean it's opening its 1000th restaurant. 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. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson Tells Us Everything About The Franchise - Exclusive Interview. As reopening guidelines are being determined, we plan to move forward with an abundance of caution. 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. 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. My predecessor did a great job, so most of the hesitancy candidly was, "will this guy be as good, will we have the same amount of success?" Then we determined two focus areas, giving back to the community and prioritizing support for our franchisees. "I'm a huge advocate for franchise advisory councils, specifically when nearly 60% of all franchise agreements at Tropical Smoothie Cafe come from existing franchisees. 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. Provide product innovation and innovation in general. Related Posts. Charles is directly responsible for selling more than 800 franchises during his tenure. SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. 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. Watson:"We were in a good place!