It may not be the first homegrown New Orleans brand that comes to mind, but Smoothie King is a Crescent City icon, and one of the newest locations appears to be coming to Mid-City, according to a permit filed with the city.
The new location, currently in the permitting stage for 3200 S Carrollton Ave., is being developed by Bowen Beverages, which is a multi-unit Smoothie King franchisee. The potential Mid-City location appears to be the tip of the iceberg as far as the brand’s overall expansion plans. In a 2022 press release, company CEO Wan Kim mentioned fans of Smoothie King can expect everything from new stores to new technology to new product launches. The press release also said the chain has agreements in place to open more than 50 new stores and expand beyond its current 1,300 locations.
“Our franchise opportunities have never been stronger,” Kim said.
The Smoothie King brand was developed in a New Orleans health food store by Steve Kuhnau and his wife Cindy Kuhnau. Steve grew up with allergies and he developed his iconic smoothies as a way to enjoy a milkshake experience, but without the risk of an allergic reaction. After dialing in a few recipes and testing them out, Kuhnau began selling them out of his health food store.
The first Smoothie King opened in 1989 and it eventually grew into a massive chain. In the early 2000s, Kim came in as an investor and expanded the brand into South Korea. The Kuhnaus would eventually sell the brand to him. Today, Smoothie Kings can be found in 33 states, South Korea, the Caymans, and Trinidad. The company also owns the naming right for the New Orleans Pelicans’ basketball arena.
