Smoothies Are Top Banana in Any Weather

Folkman's store is located along downtown Denver's busy 16th Street Mall, a 16-block shopping and office hub with free shuttle service. Folkman saved on overhead by locating below street level, but worked out a deal with the landlord to post heavy signage outside. "Now it looks like we own the corner of the building," he says.

Frutation opened 15 stores since launching in June 2007, and expects to sell nearly 100 franchises in 2008, according to Kamran Farid, chief operating officer of Edible Arrangments in Connecticut.

The company aims to build brand awareness by locating in high pedestrian traffic areas such as malls and airports, and in states with warmer year-round climates.

Year Round Luau

Smoothie franchisees must be just as innovative with winter as they are with recipes. While frozen drinks are a tougher sell in colder climates, says Farid, you can still keep up brisk sales.

Many smoothie-franchise companies introduce additional products to bridge the cold weather gap. Folkman opened a dual-concept franchise in Denver this year that offers both Frutation and designer fruit baskets by its parent company Edible Arrangments. "It works well when you can play one concept off the other," he says.