Executives with the Planet Smoothie chain pulled out all the stops when their “Franchise U” tour pulled into town this month to entice prospective franchisees across Florida.
A franchisee wearing the Atlanta chain’s trademark “Cupman” suit paraded around a conference room. Attendees’ names were thrown in the hopper to vie for a $5,000 discount on Planet Smoothie’s standard $25,000 franchise fee. Free, antioxidant-boosting strawberry/banana/acai berry smoothies were liberally disbursed.
Attendance for the free event: five people with varying degrees of interest. That was one person more than the tour drew in Tallahassee, its first Florida stop.
Organizers had expected about 20 Tampa prospects.
“It’s really hit or miss,” acknowledged Tanya Mareno, vice president of franchise sales and development for Planet Smoothie owner Petrus Brands. Read full article.
Photo: Willie J. Allen Jr. | Times.
