page_title: Tropical Smoothie Cafe
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Tropical Smoothie Cafe / History
context_page_description: Tropical Smoothie Cafe, sometimes referred to as Tropical Smoothie, or TSC, is a restaurant franchise in the United States. In addition to smoothies, the cafes offer sandwiches, wraps, salads, flat breads, and introduced bowls to their food line in 2017. Tropical Smoothie Cafe operates more than 800 locations nationwide with 2,000 projected openings across the United States by 2024.
context_section_description: Tropical Smoothie began as a smoothie shop in 1993 along the panhandle of Florida. Tropical Smoothie Franchise Development Corporation was founded in 1997 in Destin, Florida, and the first franchised store opened in 1998 in Tallahassee, Florida. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. 
  In 1999, they created a niche in the smoothie category by introducing a line of food items including sandwiches and wraps. As more locations opened, the individual Cafes redesigned their store decor to offer a beach house theme with bright white walls, an open kitchen concept, vibrant colors, and tropical artwork.
  In 2006, Tropical Smoothie Cafe opened their 200th store in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and in 2011 they opened their 300th store in Fort Myers, Florida. They opened their 400th location in Toledo, Ohio, 500th location in Westland, Michigan, and in 2017 their 600th location in Joplin, Missouri. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is now opening a new store at a pace of every 3-4 days, an improvement from their pace of every 6-7 days in 2007, their 10th anniversary year. 
  Founders and original owners Eric and Delora Jenrich and David Walker came from franchise backgrounds and used that knowledge to grow Tropical Smoothie Cafe.  As they grew, they recruited others from the food industry.
  In 2012, private equity firm Buckhead Investment Partners (BIP) bought a controlling interest in Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Founders Eric Jenrich and David Walker, the former owners of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, remained on the board of directors, and former Chief Operating Officer, Mike Rotondo, was promoted to replace Jenrich as Chief Executive Officer in 2012 until his departure in 2018. BIP partner Scott Pressly, who was a financial and strategic adviser to the chain since 2007, is now the company's chairman. Chief Development Officer, Charles Watson, currently serves as Interim CEO.
caption: Interior of a Tropical Smoothie Café franchise in Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia
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