Tropical Smoothie Cafe Sweetens the Deal on Solid Nutrition

New Chia Banana Boost Rounds Out Fall Smoothie Lineup

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Sep 25, 2015, 11:53 ET

ATLANTA, Sept. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Designed to take full advantage of the late summer/early autumn harvest, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is offering a new roasted smoothie blend and nutrient-packed ingredients designed as a powerful get-up-and-go breakfast or any time of day meal option. The all-new Chia Banana Boost Smoothie, blends a seasonally inspired mix of almonds, cinnamon, whole grain oats, dates, and coconut, plus new oven roasted bananas and chia seeds. Additionally, to further customize this new smoothie, guests have the option to add late summer strawberries or peaches, or the fall-favorite peanut butter to the Chia Banana Boost.

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"Chia seeds have a long history as a super food," explained Lisa Dimson, CMO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. "Just one serving of the Chia add-in delivers 2 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein, a great punch of Omega 3s, and lots of antioxidants… all with just 30 calories. We know our consumers are searching for superfoods and other better-for-you options so we're not surprised that our consumers are reacting so favorably to the Chia Banana Boost."

Often regarded as a favorite pre-race snack by distance runners and fabled to be the ancient Mayan's secret ingredient for strength and energy, chia seeds have started appearing in a number of pre-packaged health foods. Tropical Smoothie Cafe will be among the first to offer it in a made-to-order smoothie designed to make the tiny powerhouse food easy to enjoy anytime, anywhere. The brand also hopes to prove that chia seeds can be as tasty as they are nutritious by offering the seeds as an add-in to any smoothie on the menu.

"On their own, chia seeds are fairly plain," Dimson continues. "They've got a great crunch, but a pretty neutral flavor profile. By pairing them with our signature fresh fruits and vegetables, we're showing people that chia seeds are versatile in any of our great tasting smoothies."

The roasted bananas, a unique new twist for traditional smoothies, are slow roasted to a caramelized golden brown in-house, which releases a naturally sweet flavor in this potassium rich fruit that makes the Chia Banana Boost taste so delicious and craveable," Dimson said. "Our method of roasting not only intensifies the fruity flavor without processed sweeteners, but also has minimal impact in decreasing the nutritional benefits of this amazing product."

The Chia Banana Boost Smoothie as well as chia seed add-in and other Fall Favorite Smoothies, like the UnBEETable Berry and the Spiced Pear, will remain on the menu through October, while supplies last.

About Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Founded in 1997, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a fast-casual restaurant concept inspiring healthy lifestyles across the country, with over 435 locations nationwide. With snack and meal options for any time of day,

Tropical Smoothie Cafe serves smoothies, salads, tacos, wraps, sandwiches, and flatbreads. The rapidly growing franchise has received numerous accolades including being ranked on Entrepreneur's 2015 Franchise 500, 2015 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers and Shakers and Nation's Restaurant News' 2015 Top 200. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is seeking qualified franchisees to expand throughout the United States in markets such as Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Columbus, Ohio, among others. For more information, visit www.TropicalSmoothieFranchise.com.