Smoothie King have branded themselves as a “nutritional lifestyle centre” offering a range of freshly made smoothies. Their slogan is “Smoothies with a Purpose” and they create a variety of nutritional smoothies to cater for every purpose. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, build muscle or boost your immune system, there’s a choice for you.

The creator of Smoothie King wanted to create drinks that were full of nutrients, proteins, vitamins and minerals; a product that would help boost the nation’s health. The chains philosophy is to provide delicious, fruit based, nutritional smoothies, customized to your body’s needs.

History

Smoothie King’s first store was based in Kenner, Louisiana and was opened by Steve Kuhnau in 1973. After working as a soda jerker, Kuhnau discovered he was lactose intolerant and therefore unable to digest the traditional ice-cream based shakes and smoothies. As a problem that affects millions of people, Kuhnau saw a gap in the market and this is where the idea for the chain was born.

The business prides itself on catering for customers who are looking to live a healthier lifestyle with modern day’s busy schedule. Their smoothies come in an assortment of different blends: fitness blends, slim blends, wellness blends and take a break blends. Each blend is designed with a purpose and depending upon what your body needs, depends upon which smoothie you should choose. This is a concept that is exclusive to Smoothie King and offers a healthier alternative to traditional, more sugary ice-cream shakes and smoothies.

After opening chains across a variety of states; in 1989 the company then began franchising and their popularity continued to grow. In fact, in this time, they have been ranked the #1 franchise in their category 20 times by Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2003, their 30 year anniversary, the company opened its first international store in South Korea. They now also have stores in the Cayman Islands and Singapore.

In 2012, Steve and his wife Cindy decided to retire from the business and sold the company to Wan Kim and Standard Charter Bank. However, since then the company has continued to flourish and now has over 700 locations worldwide. Furthermore, they continue to stick to their philosophy of providing health-boosting, nutritional drinks and snacks for everyone. 

Review

With such a vast variety to choose from, deciding on which smoothie is best for you can seem like a daunting task.  Each blend has a specific purpose and a range of options. When you arrive at the restaurant, ask to see their nutritional information sheet to help you decide what’s best for you.

If you’re looking to build muscle try a drink from their fitness blends. If you want to lose some weight then the slim blends is the range for you. For building a stronger immune system and an overall health boost, then you need a smoothie from their wellness blends. Finally, if you’re just looking for a daily treat, then they also have their take a break range.

What’s more, you can choose to add a range of enhancers to your drink: muscle builder, protein, energy boost, pure recharge or diet down. All the drinks come in a range of sizes: 20oz, 32oz or 40oz, plus they offer their kids cups which come in a handy 12 oz size. With prices starting at $5 for their 20oz drinks; they are healthy and affordable. Besides drinks, the chain also offers a selection of healthy snacks: nuts, protein muffins, protein bars, protein cookies, veggie chips and banana chips.

Each location is clean and well-organized, plus the staff are welcoming and personable, meaning low waiting times and an overall pleasant experience. All menu items have been designed to optimize your health and their delicious, nutritious smoothies have been helping customers live a more active, healthy life for over 40 years.