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Bob Morris, a franchise investor with a multi-unit track record in Planet Fitness and 7 Brew Coffee, signed a six-unit development agreement to open six HB Protein Smoothies units in South Florida. Morris will develop five locations in Broward County and one in Martin County.
Morris has spent more than two decades building and operating franchise businesses, including ownership stakes in Planet Fitness dating back to 2004 and 7 Brew Coffee drive-through locations he has developed in New York State over the past three years. He said he runs every new concept through the same checklist before signing on, and HB Protein Smoothies cleared it.
"I like the simplicity of the operation, the limited scope of offerings, and the low-labor factor," Morris said. "It also has strong second-generation real estate potential, so you don't need to start in Class A space. It checks off a lot of boxes."
Morris said his first visit to the Scottsdale store, where he saw professional athletes stopping in as regulars, confirmed his decision.
"It was phenomenal. No aftertaste, spot-on flavoring, and filling," he said. "I've had plenty of protein shakes that never lived up to the hype. This one did."
Morris plans to run his Florida units alongside his son and daughter with an experienced operator on staff to guide the buildout. "It's something we can all do and grow together," he said.
"Bob has already built and scaled multi-unit operations in two other categories, so when he tells us the model works, that carries weight," said Daniel Boone, co-founder of HB Protein Smoothies. "Having an operator with his track record commit to six units in South Florida is proof the concept holds up outside Scottsdale."