How a Former C-Level Executive is Creating a Smoothie Franchising Empire
Author: Smoothie King
A QSR veteran, Smoothie King multi-unit owner Omar Janjua is preparing for the next chapter of his professional life, with plans to build a Smoothie King empire and bring a purposeful product to the Oklahoma City market. Like many of our Smoothie King franchisees, Omar was inspired by our well-made, fresh products.
“As a longtime runner, I was drawn to Smoothie King’s focus on wellness and quality. Prior to becoming a franchisee, I made Smoothie King part of my regular diet, so investing in the business became a no brainer,” said Omar Janjua. “It’s a feel-good concept with endless reasons to support the brand. From their strong culture and internal communication, to delivering on speed of service and menu innovations, Smoothie King maximizes potential profit opportunities for its operators.”
Omar has enjoyed a storied career. After ascending to President of SONIC Drive-in, CEO of Taco Bueno and holding leadership positions across QSR, Omar felt it was time to retire. Little did he know, he would soon be back in the quick service space, but this time, on the franchisee side. Fast forward to 2019 and Omar elected to pursue his passion for entrepreneurship with Smoothie King and is already developing locations across the Oklahoma City area.
To jumpstart his journey with Smoothie King, Omar has signed an eight-unit development deal in Oklahoma City and Tulsa with three locations already open. He has plans to expand with up to six or seven additional locations in the future.
“When scouring for franchise opportunities, I looked for simplicity, in addition to a brand focused on health and wellness,” said Omar. “Smoothie King fits those criteria, and the business model isn’t complicated. There’s not a need for back of house cooking staff or a full kitchen complete with food preparation machinery. This helps keep energy costs much lower. In turn, the lower investment and overhead costs have helped contribute to my success and desire to grow my footprint with the brand.”
Omar plans to remain deeply involved in each of his Smoothie King locations’ day-to-day operations, strategically expanding throughout the Oklahoma City area – a largely underserved market for convenient, on-the-go health and wellness food service industry meal options.
Like Omar, if you’re looking to help promote a healthy and active lifestyle within your community through in-store orders, drive-thru, and delivery, then click here to download our franchise kit for more information! Markets available for expansion include the Carolinas, Florida, New York, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. We’re growing rapidly and we’d like you to be part of the Smoothie King family!