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Planet Smoothie Franchise Owners Have A Say In Product Development

Collaboration around product development is a vital part of business

Maybe something with beets? Or a pizza-flavored smoothie? It’s safe to say that not every customer suggestion for a new flavor combo makes it to the Planet Smoothie® franchise menu board. But a lot of them do, thanks to a robust testing program that ensures plenty of field input from owners when it comes to product development.

“We are very closely aligned and integrated with our franchise owners,” says Doug Merenda, Director of Franchise Development. “That means we are hearing from them all the time about what longstanding products might need a refresh, and what new ones are really selling strong. They also have plenty of ideas about new formulas and combos. That steady stream of innovation means the Planet Smoothie franchise community has a robust new-product pipeline.”

Planet Smoothie Franchise add-ins product developmentEveryone pitches in with new ideas and flavor concepts

It’s no surprise that many, if not most, new flavor combos and product ideas come from Planet Smoothie franchise customers. In addition, Planet Smoothie also has a fully operational and always-busy test kitchen, where ideas suggested by franchise owners come together as well.

“Many of our franchise owners are also flavor innovators, and they’ll bring things to us to try out,” Merenda says. “We also create our own products in the test kitchen and roll them out after running them by our franchise review board, as a limited time offering to see how they do. If they work, we keep them on the menu.”

Franchise feedback is an essential part of development

Although many ideas do come from the corporate kitchen, Merenda is quick to point out that every Planet Smoothie franchise is in itself a test market, and that franchise owner input is essential in the brand’s ongoing evolution.

“We are always trying new things, and we also create a calendar around test marketing and more,” he says. “We keep an eye on flavor trends, and if those all-in line with what Planet Smoothie is all about, we capitalize on them. What we don’t do is follow fads. That’s what makes us stand out in the smoothie-franchise sector. A lot of brands come and go because they pin everything to one or two flavor concepts. When those go stale, they have nothing left.”

“We love the input we get from every Planet Smoothie franchise owner and customer,” he adds. “Often they will ask for something R&D hadn’t thought of, or were just beginning to look at, and then that idea comes to fruition a little more quickly than it might have. It truly is a two-way process.”

Planet Smoothie is a smoothie franchise that sets itself apart by offering great-tasting smoothies that use healthier, natural ingredients. In a side-by-side comparison, our smoothies generally have less sugar and fewer calories — a big competitive advantage as Americans actively seek out healthier options. Planet Smoothie is led by a veteran franchise team and dedicated brand support team as part of the Kahala Brands™ family.

Learn more about product development with Planet Smoothie

To learn more about Planet Smoothie franchise options, please visit our blog, and delve into the options for ownership on our research pages. If you’re ready to start a conversation about investing in a Planet Smoothie franchise, fill out our form here, and one of our team members will be in touch!