If you are looking for information on the Emerald City Smoothie franchise business opportunity, Emerald City Smoothie franchises or Emerald City Smoothies franchising, then you have come to the right place.
If you are looking for a significant franchise opportunity with a low cost of entry and high upside potential, you may be a great candidate to be an Emerald City Smoothie (ECS) franchise owner.
One of the most important things that set ECS apart from the crowd is its unique brand promise. ECS delivers healthy smoothies with unbeatable taste. When you're getting started, this unique concept results in a shorter time to break even. Even better, over the long run, it means that you own a defensible brand that is very difficult to copy.
We've also built our uniqueness beyond the product. We build customer loyalty everyday through:
A personal service philosophy that turns our employees into part of our customer's fitness-support team, which keeps customers coming back
ECS also features all the benefits offered by franchises in general including a formula for operating a successful business that all but eliminates business mistakes commonly made by new business owners. Today, one out of every three dollars spent by Americans for goods and services is spent in a franchised business (source: Franchise.org website), generating an estimated US$1 trillion in the U.S. economy annually. The combination of the franchisor's expertise and your hard work create the potential for a strong business. With a franchise, you are in business for yourself, not by yourself!
Emerald City Smoothie is a retail concept that marries taste and good health. At the center of the ECS value proposition is an incredible tasting, 24-ounce smoothie. The best description of our smoothies is that they taste fresh, like just-picked fruit off the tree. Once you try one, it's almost impossible to not come back for more.
A recent study, the ECS Customer Study 2005, by integrated brand experts Parker LePla, supports our claims. Consider these facts:
Customer top-three buying criteria include taste 32%, service 25%, and health 21%. Finally, ECS scored an average 4.29 on Parker LePla's brand strength on a scale ranging from -5 to +5. A 4.29 places these customers in the Committed level, which is characterized by extreme loyalty, a willingness to pay more than for a competitive product and a desire to tell others about the brand.
This customer behavior makes ECS a strong brand. In addition, the smoothie industry as a whole benefits from America's long-term need to embrace a healthier lifestyle and combat obesity.
Our customers appreciate taste and health!
The information presented may have changed since first published. We recommend that you always verify fees, investment amounts and offers with the business opportunity directly prior to making a decision to invest.
1. What training and ongoing support do you provide?
You want to know what happens after you pay the initial fee. A strong franchisor provides comprehensive pre-opening training, site-selection help, operational playbooks, and continuous assistance with marketing, technology, and supply chains.
2. What is the total initial investment, and did actual startup costs match the estimates in Item 7 of the FDD?
The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) lists estimated startup costs in Item 7, but real-world expenses can run higher. Asking how closely current owners tracked to these estimates reveals if you need extra working capital or if hidden fees exist.
3. How do royalties and local/national marketing fees impact profitability?
You need to understand ongoing financial obligations-such as monthly royalty percentages and ad fund contributions-and evaluate whether the brand value and support justify cutting into your profit margins.
4. What are the common challenges new franchisees face, and how do you help them overcome them?
Transparent franchisors will openly discuss real hurdles like local competition, tight labor markets, or supply chain bottlenecks, and show you the exact playbook or field support they offer to solve them as well as allowing you to speak with other franchisees.
5. How many franchise locations have closed or left the system in the past few years, and why?
High turnover, store closures, or quiet franchise exits are major red flags. This question measures system stability, territory health, and whether the corporate team addresses struggling owners or lets them fail.
Food and Beverage Franchises