Froots is growing across the nation! With more than 30 stores open and dozens more getting ready to, there’s lots of talk about who we are and where we’re going. Enjoy the most recent articles, press releases and information about our company right here.
| Dateline: January 19, 2010 FROOTS Continues International Expansion with the Addition of a New Master Franchisee for Kuwait Davie, Florida – FROOTS, a rapidly growing quick service food and smoothies franchise, is excited to announce the addition of Salem Almutawa and Abdurlrahman Alyaseen as master franchisees charged with developing the franchise in Kuwait. Both Mr. Almutawa and Mr. Alyaseen where born and raised in Kuwait, and came to the United States in 1998 where they each obtained a Bachelors degree from California State University and further pursued an MBA and a CPA respectively. Mr. Almutawa went on to work as an Assistant General Manager for an authorized dealer for Volvo that gave him very good exposure in marketing, retail, customer service and PR. Mr. Alyaseen was a Financial Manager for one of the top companies in Kuwait, which provided him with the financial and administrative experience to complement his partner in this business endeavor. “We are planning to make our grand opening no later than September 2010 and we do have a very good network with many high profile people in Kuwait and believe that they will enjoy the experience of eating FROOTS” says Mr. Almutawa. They are planning to do a surprise charity announcement for their opening which will show their commitment to social responsibility, as it plays an important part in their lives. They chose FROOTS because they want to help the young Kuwaiti to start getting in the habit of eating smart, healthy, fresh food. “The brand has a wide variety of food offerings that fits every lifestyle and encourages healthy eating” comments Mr. Almutawa. FROOTS, which was created by David Lopez, has been franchising since 2004 and continues rapid growth by offering a unique menu featuring fresh and healthy foods. Diners have many options for low fat and low calorie meals, and the very popular smoothies are made with fresh fruit. Smoothie add-ins are also available like energy, fat burning and protein blends. Menu items reflect a variety of cultures and new items are added frequently to keep the offerings exciting. About FROOTS FROOTS is a quick service restaurant offering a variety of fruit smoothies, healthy gourmet wraps, salads and Paninis. Using only fresh ingredients, FROOTS creates unique flavor profiles to satisfy a culturally-diverse clientele. FROOTS Franchising, Inc., is headquartered in Davie, FL and is a privately owned company. The concept was created in 2001 by its founder and CEO, David Lopez and has been franchising since 2004. Currently there are over 50 locations in the US and International locations in Honduras, Panama, Guam, Singapore, Turks & Caicos and Iraq. Locations in UAE and Oman are in development Expansion plans include opening an additional 500 locations in the next five years. FROOTS was named one of the FAST 55 by the Franchise Times and made the Top 500 list in Entrepreneur Magazine. For all franchising opportunities, call 1-877-FROOTS-1, or email Eliana Ioia at eliana@froots.com. Dateline: July 30, 2009 PC Tan and Danny Lam Join FROOTS as Master Franchisees for Singapore Davie, Florida – FROOTS, a rapidly growing quick service food and smoothies franchise, has added PC Tan and Danny Lam as Master Franchisees to develop the brand in Singapore under their holding company, Tropical Juice Pte Ltd.. . . Read the entire article. Dateline: July 30, 2009 David Rodgers joins FROOTS as Master Franchisee for the UAE and Oman Davie, Florida – FROOTS, a rapidly growing quick service food and smoothies franchise, has added David Rodgers of Gourmet Food General Trading LLC as their Master Franchisee for the United Arab Emirates and Oman.. . . Read the entire article. Dateline: April 2, 2009 Encinitas Family Brings Healthy Food FROOTS Franchise to Community Davie, Florida – Proving that food does indeed bring families together, Simon Holt recently joined his family in opening a FROOTS quick service restaurant in Encinitas, the first FROOTS location in California.. . . Read the entire article. Dateline: January, 2009 Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500  After dedicating the past several months to painstakingly calling, e-mailing, researching and analyzing hundreds of franchising companies—not to mention the three decades we've spent perfecting our ranking procedure and top-secret formula—we're proud to present Entrepreneur's 30th Annual Franchise 500, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. . . . Read the entire article. Dateline: October, 2008 Austin Fit Magazine Austin, TX  The towers continue to rise downtown, and so does the need for amenities that will satisfy the discerning tastes of all those condo dwellers. Taking care of urbanites on-the-go with a smattering of smoothies, wraps, soups and salads. Froots expertly complements the bugeoning Second Street scene. . . Read the entire article. Dateline: Sun, July 06, 2008 Neighborhood Nosh by: Jon Waterhouse/For the Journal-Constitution Atlanta, GA Froots 5530 Windward Parkway Building G, Suite 1040 Alpharetta, GA 678-319-0000 The long-standing challenge of finding a quick meal without mainlining grease into the arteries still persists. Thankfully, this national chain takes a shot with its unstinting salads, wholesome wraps and radiant smoothies Thankfully, this national chain takes a shot with its unstinting salads, wholesome wraps and radiant smoothies. The food won't have you jumping out of your Birkenstocks. But the concept and execution are solid enough for a satisfying and speedy dine that doesn't put the squeeze on the wallet or waistline. 
That's a WrapThe walls snap in happy strokes like greens and yellows. Customers make their way to the far end of the counter to place an order.(Flash your gym membership and get a 10 percent discount.) In zippy fashion, the kitchen team prepares the food and calls your name when ready. Froots keeps its main food focus on meaty wraps with a handful of vegetarian options. The staff rolls each sandwich in a white or whole wheat flour tortilla, then lightly toasts the outside. Wraps arrive on white, triangular, plastic plates, which have a midcentury modern aesthetic. The California Turkey (a bundle of sliced turkey breast, bacon, Jack cheese and veggies) even gets a bit of presentation with squiggly squirts of ranch dressing across the plate. None of the ingredients overcompensate, not even the bacon, as the flavor spreads evenly across the wrap. Bright white wads of chicken peer out from the Caesar Fever, basically a roll-up version of a Caesar salad. Froots doesn't spare a touch, right down to the slightly softened croutons. A piquant punch highlights the Southwest wrap. A conservative amount of mesquite-flavored chicken bunks with black beans, corn, onion, tomato, Jack cheese and Romaine lettuce. But it's the jalapeño slices and habanero mayo that spike each bite. Froots serves a small list of breakfast wraps all day, including the Early Veggies. Scrambled eggs and tofu permeate this vegetarian comfort roll. Roasted red peppers and tomato bring a bit of bright color and dabs of flavor. Muenster cheese, onions, alfalfa sprouts and balsamic dressing each do their part.  Going Green The real bulk for the buck comes in Froots' whopping salad bowls. And the build-your-own option allows you to add as many of the near-limitless ingredients as you desire. Salad dressing thoughtfully comes on the side, so each customer can douse at their discretion. Surprisingly, both of the chicken portions found in the Santa Fe and Chinese Chicken salads are purposely cold. Of the two, we praise the latter with its crunch of fried noodles and the hint of sweet found in bits of pineapple. Smoothie Operation Things get even sweeter with smoothies, fresh-squeezed juices and shakes. Don't miss the blueberry and raspberry bliss of the Berry Bopper. The fat-free vanilla yogurt base flows together with strawberry-kiwi juice. The orange-colored mass that's the Aloha Sunrise (mangos, peaches, pineapple juice, orange sherbet) soothes with subtle tang. A list of Performance smoothies use fitness powders like fat burner and protein. Red Bull smoothies meld the energy drink with a variety of fruits and juices. Fitness buffs can simply grab a cup of fresh juice (orange, carrot, grapefruit or a combination) or a shot of wheatgrass or green tea. As we walk away from lunch, the normal groggy, fast food aftershock is nowhere to be found. Froots replaces it with energetic satisfaction.
Press Release Froots Names New Area Directors FLORIDA Chris Cavallo - 954-650-3288 GEORGIA Jim Merkel - 404-308-1637 LOS ANGELES COUNTY Eric Myers - 512-775-7326 SAN BERNADINO COUNTY Darryl Williams, Mark Lally TENNESSEE Eric Barton Froots Accomplishments
Smoothie chain: City may be 'No. 1 market' Tom Feltenstein joins Froots Tom is nationally recognized by top industry analysts (CNN, Larry King, The Wall Street Journal, The Council of International Restaurant Brokers,  and others) as one of the leading authorities and visionaries in strategic marketing.
He brings real world experience unsurpassed by anyone else in North America. He has served in senior executive positions with Burger King, McDonalds, as an advisor to the Governor of the State of Georgia, and owned and operated his own 14-store restaurant chain. Froots and Tom Feltenstein have planned the future by creating the 2008 Froots Marketing Plan. “Fast 55”  “Fast 55” Franchise Times' 2008 ranking of the top 55 fastest growing, young franchises. “Top 500”  Entrepreneur magazines “Top 500” Franchises for 2008. Dateline: December 3, 2007 Froots Smoothie stores take off by: J. Albert Diaz/Miami Herald Staff Miami Herald Miami, FL A Man With a Plan: Froots Smoothie Founder David Lopez has franchised 30 stores from Arizona to Florida with others in Ireland and the Turks and Caicos. Another 72 franchises have been sold and plans are underway to open at least 500 more in the next five years. In addition to smoothies, the restaurants also offer salads and wraps. It didn't take David Lopez long to figure out the last thing he wanted was to be just another cog in a corporate wheel. During his freshman year at the University of Central Florida while completing an internship at a Fortune 500 business, Lopez, now 26, was marched into the company cafeteria with his co-workers and informed that 50 would be fired on the spot. No questions asked. Clean out your desk. Go home. "I wasn't right for the whole corporate thing," he says. "I wanted the American dream, but I didn't think I'd achieve it with a corporation." The problem was figuring out another way. Lopez, who grew up in Cooper City and now lives there, was studying business but had very little job experience. He had worked in a couple of smoothie stores in high school. And his father had owned his own small printing business. He'd also borrowed enough in student loans to know a little about financing. So he came up with a plan, which he launched his sophomore year. It went like this: Apply for $20,000 in student loans, the maximum awarded if you enrolled in every class allowed. Persuade your girlfriend and future wife to be a business partner. Badger the cafeteria manager at a nearby community college into letting you open a smoothie kiosk. Sink the loan money into the business -- which he today admits may or may not have been legal -- and never lose hope. Seven years later, Lopez, a new father with another baby on the way, has franchised 30 Froots Smoothie stores from Arizona to Florida with others in Ireland and the Turks and Caicos. Another 72 franchises have been sold and plans are underway to open at least 500 more in the next five years, he said. "When I told my dad I was opening a smoothie store, he thought I was nuts, to be honest, and a lot of my family members said the same thing. But they don't say that anymore." What sets Lopez apart -- perhaps due partly to the ignorance of youth -- is he wasn't too worried about failing. Or at least not enough to be too afraid to try. He also decided early on to focus on franchising as a way to quickly expand. "I speak to a lot of people," said Lopez, who is a member of the Nova Southeastern University Entrepreneur Council and is often recruited to talk to students who inevitably want to know how he managed to pull off such success at such a young age. "You know, it's never easy to do it. When you're in college, you say there's too much risk, too many student loans and bills. Then when you graduate, 'Oh, I'm getting married,' and then kids. You can always make an excuse for not doing it. My view is the longer you wait, the more difficult it is to do." Among Froots' franchisees are former professional football player Henri Crockett and Oakland Raiders tight end OJ Santiago, who teamed up three years ago to open a Froots at 2571 S. University Dr. in Davie. Crockett, a linebacker with the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons before he retired in 2005, settled on Froots for a simple reason: He likes the product. "In the sports world, we always go for smoothies and wraps and things to find a way to stay healthy," he said. "When you look at a franchise that you want to invest in, you've got to believe in it. . . . [Froots] presents a healthy lifestyle and healthy lifestyle for kids and that's what I'm always going to high schools to preach about." Crockett wisely located his store near Nova Southeastern University to attract students, and made free wireless connections and computers available, hoping to put a Starbucks spin on his business. It also helps that the store is located near the Dolphins training center where regulars like Jason Taylor drop by. Crockett also likes having the corporate store in nearby Plantation where he can quickly call for help if a problem arises. ''They're real hands on,'' he said. Although franchising has worked well so far for Lopez, for an entrepreneur to go directly to franchising is indeed a risky move, said Terry Hill, vice president of communications for the International Franchise Association. Dateline: September 17, 2007 Froots NEWS IN A MINUTE The Food Institute Report Issue 37 © 2007 The Food Institute Smoothie restaurant FROOTS plans to open 80 stores in Georgia over the next 10 years. The Cooper City, FL-based chain, which serves smoothies, shakes, wraps and salads, currently has 25 stores open, 67 in development, and aspirations to grow to 1,000 units in 10 years, according to the company's vice president of franchise sales . . . Atlanta Business Chronicle. Dateline: September 7-13, 2007 New Smoothie Restaurant has Big Growth plans by: Rachel Tobin Ramos Atlanta Business Journal Atlanta, GA Planet Smoothie Cafe and Tropical Smoothie Cafe are about to get a lot more competition in the Atlanta market. FROOTS, a similar quick-service concept, wants to put the squeeze on its competition, with 80 stores planned for Georgia in the next 10 years. That's the commitment of Jim Merkle, a former executive of The Coca-Cola Co. who's contracted with the Cooper City, Fla.-based chain as the area developer for Georgia, said the vice president of franchise sales for FROOTS. The chain has stores in Alpharetta (by franchisee Abraham Delgado), Kennesaw (by Reena Pooja) and Johns Creek. "We're certainly putting a lot of resources behind developing the Atlanta market which is important on a national scale", said the Froots vice president of franchise sales. At a prospective franchisee seminar FROOTS hosted Aug, 23, 57 people attended, representing 30 buying groups. The concept was created in 2001 by entrepreneur David Lopez in Orlandoo while he was still getting his undergraduate degree at the University of Central Florida. Franchising started in 2003. The chain has 25 stores open, 67 in development, and aspirations to grow to 1,000 units in 10 years. It also has a small international presence, with a store in Ireland, the Turks and Caieos, and a development agreement in the United Arab Emirates. At FROOTS where the average ticket is $9.84 cutomers can get smoothies, shakes, wraps and salads. " We focus on very high flavor profiles," said the Froots vice president, "with high-quality, low calorie ingredients." The average investment for franchisees is $184,000 he said, for stores of 1,200 to 1,600 square feet Dateline: September 17, 2007 Froots Shooting for Local Growth by: David Sterrett Crain's Chicago Business Chicago, IL Froots, a smoothie, wrap  and salad chain, believes
it's ripe for growth in
Chicago. By yearend, the Florida-based company aims to nearly double its Chicago area locations, to 13 from seven. The growth won't stop there. "We are on pace to be the largest smoothie chain in Chicago by the end of 2008, with more than 30 locations," says the Froots' chief operating officer. To become market leader in Chicago, Froots will have to overtake Emeryville, Calif.-based Jamba Juice Co., which has 26 stores here. Nationally, Jamba has about 660 stores and posted revenue last year of $23.1 million. Founded in 2001, Froots is concentrated mainly in Chicago and the South. It has about 25 locations nationwide and expects to have 40 by yearend. The privately held company declines to disclose revenue. Froots sells a dozen different fresh-fruit smoothies for $4 to $6. Smoothies, however, account for only about 40% of Froots' business; its menu also includes wraps, soups, salads and shakes. Wraps, priced between $5 and $6.50, include ingredients ranging from wasabi chicken to albacore tuna to jerk chicken. The menu allows Froots to differentiate itself from other fast-food restaurants, says Darren Tristano, a food consultant in Chicago with Technomic Inc. "The biggest challenge is to be unique, and Froots seems well-positioned because of its diverse menu," Mr. Tristano says. "They have an appealing product and just need to develop a bigger presence in Chicago." The chain has locations in Evanston, Batavia, Darien, Des Plaines, Gurnee, Wheeling and Yorkville.  In the next few months, Froots plans to open stores in the South Loop at Michigan Avenue and
13th Street, as well as in Elgin, Naperville, Arlington Heights, Burr Ridge and Antioch. After that, the company hopes to expand to other Midwest cities such as Indianapolis and Minneapolis, he says. "Chicago could be our No. 1 market because the city has a sophisticated taste that will support our business," says says the Froots' chief operating officer. Froots had a setback in Chicago: It closed its Old Town location in April after the franchisee failed to comply with menu standards. Despite that miscue, he says, the company has sold 100 franchisee agreements nationwide and is working to identify sites for stores. Franchisee James Oommen, who previously worked in pharmaceuticals, says he decided to open a Froots in Gurnee five months ago because he believes healthy food will continue to be more popular with customers. "At this moment, not many people know what Froots is," Mr. Oommen says. "But hopefully pretty soon we'll be all over Chicago." ©2007 by Crain Communications Inc. Dateline: September 12, 2007
It may be a late entry into the nation’s ongoing smoothie wars, but FROOTS is ready to make its presence known in a big way. Smooth(ie) Operator Daily Franchise News Atlanta, GA The Atlanta Business Chronicle reported the Florida-based company is putting the squeeze on its competition in the Peach State with the help of Jim Merkle, a former executive of The Coca-Cola Co. and current area developer for the state. With stores in Alpharetta, Kennesaw and Johns Creek, FROOTS has plans for 80 stores in Georgia in the next 10 years. "We're certainly putting a lot of resources behind developing the Atlanta market, which is important on a national scale," said the COO of FROOTS. The FROOTS concept was created in 2001 by entrepreneur David Lopez in Orlando while he was still getting his undergraduate degree at the Dateline: Week of August 24, 2007
The state's first Froots franchise, is coming to Charlotte in October, and company officials hope to open as many as 15 stores across the region in the next several years.Smoothie chain eyes new stores after first N.C. deal by: Ashley M.London, Staff Writer Charlotte Business Journal Charlotte, N.C. Cooper City, Fla.-based Froots — which specializes in fruit smoothies, wraps and salads — will open in 1,441 square feet in The Shops at Harris Corners at 9335 Harris Corners Parkway. Brent Heavner, a Charlotte police officer, is the franchisee. The total initial investment for a Froots franchise is between $147,000 and $242,000 for real estate and space upfit along with $25,000 for a franchise license. The yearly royalty rate is 6% plus an additional 2% for a national marketing contribution. Froots will host a franchisee seminar Sept. 13 at the Charlotte location. Froots sells smoothie drinks madewith fresh fruits and low-calorie wraps and sandwiches. "Not only do we feel this is a successful franchise, but we feel we can improve people's lifestyles," says the Froots chief operating officer. Entrepreneur David Lopez founded Froots in 2001 and started franchising in 2004. The chain has 24 stores across the country and locations in Ireland and on Grand Turk Island, part of the Turks & Caicos British West Indies. The company is exploring opportunities to open Froots in Dubai and South Korea. More than 58 people have purchased franchises over the past year, and Froots locations are under development in Minneapolis, Chicago and Washington. The Nichols Co. broker Josh Beaver negotiated the lease for Froots in Charlotte. Top Ten Funny Franchise Names That Mean Serious Business by: Raymond Lawrence So many individuals and businesses rely on their computers for communication. Furthermore, many businesses simply can not function if their computers are not working properly. As people struggle to keep up with advancing technology, many of them work on computers everyday and still have no idea how to make even the simplest repairs when things go wrong. Of course, this is true because computers and complex machines and someone who is not qualified to work on them should always call for help. Even so, many computer repair stores have a “bring it in and we’ll fix it” sort of approach. Nerds ToGo, however, has revolutionized the computer services industry by offering a “we come to you model.” After all, people do not have the time and energy to break down their computers and take them to the repair shop. Moreover, this would be an impossible task for a small business in need of computer services. Of course, the best part about owning a Nerds ToGo franchise is that you do not have to be a nerd to own one. Now, if you happen to be a nerd by nature, you can make your own service calls or hire nerd employees. Either way, the secret to success with this innovative franchise opportunity lies in how you manage the business and not just how well you fix computers. What’s more, the Nerds ToGo company offers a great deal of support to help you become a successful franchise business owner. There are a lot of computers out there just waiting to be fixed and with a Nerds ToGo franchise, you can cash in on this opportunity with only a small investment. Froots Smoothies Now more than ever, eating fresh is all the rage. People are looking for healthier alternatives to traditional eateries who serve greasy food loaded with calories. But, they still want food that tastes great. This is where Froots Smoothies comes in. This restaurant franchise specializes not only in salads, wraps, shakes and smoothies that taste terrific, they also pride themselves on serving foods that are healthy and refreshing. Guests who lunch at Froots can say goodbye to that afternoon sluggishness they feel after a greasy lunch at a traditional fast food restaurant. Froots offers delicious lunch, dinner and snack options and the company is ready to serve its freshness all across the country. That’s where you come in. If you are ready to take advantage of the fresh food frenzy, consider a Froots Smoothies franchise. This company offers training, marketing support and even helps with site selection. |