Assignment
NAIDB’s Kelly Bayer, Associate Vice President, and Jennifer Harrison, Vice President were initially retained by Smoothie King for the identification of franchise locations within Middlesex County, NJ. Following the successful completion of that assignment, the scope expanded to include statewide opportunities throughout New Jersey.
Smoothie King, headquartered in Dallas and widely recognized as the world’s largest smoothie and smoothie bowl brand, has been experiencing exceptional growth fueled by its fruit-based frozen drinks and strategic franchising expansion, according to Forbes. The company continues to demonstrate strong performance with impressive same-store sales growth and record-breaking expansion momentum.
Their aggressive growth strategy includes signed agreements for new stores across multiple states and markets, with consistent quarterly performance that underscores their position as a dominant force in the smoothie industry. To support these ambitious expansion goals, NAIDB has been assisting Smoothie King identify optimal locations throughout New Jersey.
Solution
NAIDB identified viable markets and high-vehicle-traffic-count corridors throughout New Jersey for potential new retail locations that met Smoothie King’s corporate and franchisee requirements.
Utilizing comprehensive data analysis related to a wide range of retail-specific metrics, including daily foot and vehicle traffic, household income, and residential and daytime population demographics, an effective real estate strategy was created and executed.
Specifically, U.S. Route 1 — the highest-traveled road in Northern Middlesex County and one of the most-traveled thoroughfares in the state — was targeted as a priority corridor with potential
locations identified by NAIDB. In addition to serving as the region’s primary business corridor, Route 1 features a high concentration of local, regional and national retailers, the Woodbridge Center and Menlo Park Malls, and easy interstate, statewide and local roadway access points. These include the Garden State Parkway (1 mi.), U.S. Route 9, NJ Route 35, and the NJ Turnpike. In addition, the area of focus has excellent NJ Transit bus service – offering a vital link to the local workforce and suburban commuters.
Result
NAIDB’s initial success in Middlesex County led to an expanded statewide partnership. The team has successfully secured three strategic locations for Smoothie King across New Jersey:
Avenel, NJ
Edison, NJ
Rochelle Park, Bergen County, NJ
