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    The Franchise Insiders
    HB Protein SmoothiesFeatured franchise opportunity

    The category is still open

    The race to own protein is on.

    HB Protein Smoothies shake topped with whipped cream

    He tried HB. Then bought the franchise.

    “I can’t stop craving these shakes.”

    — Matt Zastrow, HB Franchisee

    Matt Zastrow, HB franchisee

    HB turns 35–50g of protein into a meal you can drink — with the taste people crave and a blender-only model built to scale.

    35–50g

    Protein per shake

    32.5%

    Adjusted EBITDA*

    1–3

    Employees on peak days

    *Based on one company-operated store. Individual results vary.

    The next everyday food occasion

    HB Protein Smoothies neon logo

    Own the shake people feel good about coming back to.

    Breakfast. Lunch. Post-workout. Between meetings.

    HB turns 35–50g of protein into a great-tasting meal you can drink — a feel-good alternative to the burgers-and-fries routine, built for the way people increasingly want to eat.

    Protein is booming. GLP-1s are adding another tailwind. And no national QSR brand owns the high-protein meal-replacement category yet.

    HB has a shot at changing that. The question is whether you can still own your market.

    Step 1 of 4

    Where would you want to own?

    We represent buyers, not franchisors. No obligation.

    The category

    Coffee has Starbucks. Cookies have Crumbl. Who will own protein?

    Protein isn’t niche anymore. It’s breakfast, lunch, post-workout, weight management, and the quick meal between meetings.

    The behavior already exists. The category leader doesn’t.

    HB is building a QSR around one simple idea: make protein taste so good people actually crave it.

    HB Protein Smoothies: good for you, great to own

    Breakfast

    A repeat occasion

    Lunch

    A repeat occasion

    Post-workout

    A repeat occasion

    Between meetings

    A repeat occasion

    HB Protein Smoothies shake being prepared

    24

    dessert-inspired flavors

    The product

    It’s a meal. It drinks like a shake. It tastes like dessert.

    HB delivers 35–50g of protein in a 250–400 calorie meal-replacement shake. The founder spent 14 years solving the problem that kills most protein shakes: they taste like protein shakes.

    Birthday CakeBrownie BatterPeanut Butter CupBlueberry CheesecakeSalted CaramelCoffee Ice Cream

    The nutrition gives people permission. The taste gives them a reason to come back.

    The habit

    You don’t buy lunch once a month.

    An indulgence can be occasional. A meal becomes routine. HB is designed to become the shake someone grabs after the gym, for breakfast, at lunch, or between meetings.

    35–50g

    Meal replacement

    Enough protein to replace a meal occasion.

    24

    Flavors

    Variety without changing the operation.

    Repeat

    Purchase behavior

    Breakfast · lunch · post-workout.

    That’s very different from selling an occasional treat.

    The numbers

    And then you look at the unit economics.

    $503,681

    2025 company-store gross sales

    38.5%

    Company-store EBITDA margin

    32.5%

    Adjusted Unit Level Franchisee EBITDA

    ~21%

    Labor*

    One company-operated store. One year of results. Not a promise of what your location will do—but enough to make us pay attention. See Item 19 of the FDD; individual results vary.

    The operation

    A food business without a traditional restaurant kitchen.

    HB is a food business without a traditional restaurant kitchen: no hood, no oven, no full kitchen, and no specialized culinary labor.

    Blenders

    Freezer · refrigerator

    1–3

    Employees on peak days

    900–1,200

    Square-foot footprint

    HB Protein Smoothies storefront beside Chipotle

    A compact footprint designed for high-traffic co-tenancy.

    HB Protein Smoothies territory availability map

    The map

    Apparently, investors are seeing it too.

    200+

    Units in development nationally

    Palm Beach

    Sold out*

    Arizona

    Sold out*

    Multi-unit operators are already taking positions in key markets. The question isn’t whether protein is getting bigger. It’s whether your market is still available.

    The team

    The category is new. The people scaling it aren’t.

    HB’s franchise development is backed by Fransmart, the franchise growth platform behind the expansion of brands including Five Guys, The Halal Guys, and Paymore.

    That doesn’t make HB a finished story. It does mean the team has experience turning an emerging food concept into a repeatable franchise system.

    Fransmart franchise development teamHB Protein Smoothies team
    Jack and Jill Johnson, The Franchise Insiders

    Why we’re showing you this

    We think HB has a shot at creating a category.

    We’ve looked at hundreds of franchise concepts. Most are variations of something that already exists.

    HB caught our attention because consumer behavior is moving faster than the franchise category. People already want more protein. They already buy meal-replacement shakes. What doesn’t exist yet is the dominant national QSR brand built around them.

    That’s the bet. And we think it’s worth investigating.

    Qualified buyers may receive up to a $5,000 rebate from our commission at closing.

    The investment

    What it takes to get in.

    Here’s what qualified buyers should expect financially.

    Estimated total investment

    $198,900–$326,350

    Liquid capital required

    $500,000–$1,000,000+ (cash and marketable securities)

    Franchise fee

    $30,000 per unit

    Net worth required

    $1,000,000+ (excluding primary residence)

    Royalty

    5% of gross sales

    Marketing fund

    Up to 2% of gross sales

    Financial information is based on Item 19 of the November 2025 FDD. It is not an offer to sell. Individual results vary and franchise investment involves risk.

    HB Protein Smoothies neon logo

    Your market is the next question

    If protein becomes the next major QSR category, who owns your market?

    Tell us where you’re looking. We’ll help you understand availability, fit, and what to investigate next.

    Step 1 of 2

    Where would you want to own?

    We represent buyers, not franchisors. No obligation.

    HB Protein Smoothies franchise information is provided for informational purposes only. Review the full Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision. Currently, certain states regulate the offer and sale of franchises; applicable registration and disclosure requirements must be satisfied before an offer is made in those states.