Financing

How Smoothie King cut back on sugar and won

A Deeper Dive: Wan Kim, CEO of the fast-growing chain, discusses how the chain risked its growth to stay true to its healthy mission.

This edition of A Deeper Dive is brought to you by Adentro.

Adentro

How did Smoothie King convince franchisees to go along with a complete menu overhaul? And how did customers react?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Wan Kim, the CEO and owner of the Texas-based Smoothie King brand.

Kim was a franchisee of the brand in South Korea before he bought the company and moved to the U.S. Smoothie King has been one of the country’s fastest-growing chains and smoothies are increasingly popular among consumers. The brand’s sales grew 25% last year alone.

Kim discusses a wide range of topics, including the smoothie business, the impact of McDonald’s smoothies and where the brand is headed.

Yet he also reveals the risk the chain made when it decided a few years ago to cut back on sugar, even at the expense of some customers and even some operators.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe on Spotify.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Technology

It's time to send 'ghost kitchen' to the graveyard

Tech Check: The catch-all term for delivery restaurants is no longer accurate. Let’s lay it to rest and come up with a new label.

Financing

Higher-end consumers may be slowing their spending

The Bottom Line: There is some evidence that higher-income consumers may be cutting back. Or maybe there was just some pent-up demand.

Technology

Wonder bets meal kits aren't dead yet

Tech Check: By acquiring the struggling Blue Apron, the restaurant delivery concept believes it can touch more dining occasions. But will it work?

Trending

More from our partners