Bob Morris, a franchise investor with a multi-unit track record in Planet Fitness and 7 Brew Coffee, has signed a six-unit development agreement with HB Protein Smoothies, bringing the brand to South Florida for the first time under his ownership. The plan calls for five locations across Broward County and one in Martin County, marking the brand's fourth multi-unit signing in Florida since March.
Morris's decision to add a smoothie concept to a portfolio already built around fitness and coffee reflects a broader logic about where those categories overlap: customers chasing a workout or a caffeine fix aren't far removed from customers chasing a protein shake, and Morris has said the fit made sense on several fronts at once, from the brand's straightforward operating model to its use of smaller, second-generation retail spaces that keep buildout costs down.
The venture is a family project as much as a business one. Morris's son and daughter are expected to help run the new locations alongside him, giving the expansion a generational dimension that Morris has described as something the whole family can build together.
Daniel Boone, who co-founded HB Protein Smoothies with his son Ethan, pointed to Morris's commitment as proof the brand's appeal extends well beyond its Scottsdale, Arizona roots. The concept, built around high-protein, low-calorie shakes served from a low-overhead footprint with no hood system and minimal staffing, has been signing multi-unit deals at a fast clip this year, with agreements already in place across Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and multiple Florida markets, and more than 200 units now in some stage of development nationwide.
Keeping that pace of signings organized, especially as experienced multi-unit investors like Morris come on board, is its own operational challenge for a brand still early in its franchise life. Gorilla Dash offers a Recruitment feature designed to help growing franchise systems manage prospective franchisee leads and track agreements as they move from initial interest to a signed development deal, supporting the kind of rapid expansion HB Protein Smoothies is currently seeing.
