Industry veteran brings decades of franchise development and operations leadership to Tropical Smoothie Cafe

ATLANTA, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tropical Smoothie Cafe today announced Joe Sieve has been appointed Chief Development & Growth Officer, where he will lead the brand’s franchise development strategy and growth initiatives. Sieve joined the company on July 27 in preparation for the planned retirement of longtime development leader, Cheryl Fletcher, at the end of August.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe continues to expand its fast-casual footprint, opening its 1,750th cafe in 44 states and maintaining a development pipeline of more than 900 future locations. It was also ranked as the No. 1 Smoothie/Juice franchise for the sixth consecutive year in Entrepreneur’s 2026 Franchise 500. As the company expands, Sieve’s appointment reflects the brand’s investment in the leadership, development capabilities and franchise support needed to execute its long-term growth strategy.

“Joe is an accomplished leader with deep experience helping brands grow while maintaining a strong focus on operational excellence and franchisee success,” said Max Wetzel, Chief Executive Officer of Tropical Smoothie Café, LLC. “As we build on our momentum, Joe’s expertise and collaborative leadership style make him the right person to help guide our next chapter of growth.”

Most recently, Sieve served as Chief Operations & Global Development Officer at Papa Johns, where he helped lead growth across a global system of more than 6,000 restaurants in more than 50 countries and territories. Throughout his career, he has led franchise development, operations, growth strategy and cross-functional initiatives across complex franchise organizations. He brings a proven track record of supporting franchisees while driving sustainable expansion.

“Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a brand with a lot of momentum and a strong franchise network behind it,” said Sieve, Chief Development & Growth Officer of Tropical Smoothie Café, LLC. “It’s an honor to join the team and work alongside franchisees to build on this growth, support their continued success and bring Tropical Smoothie Cafe to even more communities across the country.”

For more information or to find a cafe near you, visit www.TropicalSmoothie.com.

About Tropical Smoothie Cafe^®
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual restaurant brand built on a mission to Inspire Better^®, a commitment that starts with better-for-you food and smoothies and extends to inspiring better in the communities it serves. Born on a beach in 1997, Tropical Smoothie Cafe has grown to more than 1,750 locations across 44 states. The brand has been recognized for its continued excellence, earning the No. 1 ranking in the Smoothie/Juice Category on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 for six consecutive years, being named one of USA TODAY’s 10Best Restaurants for Quick, Healthy Food, and appearing on Technomic’s Top 500 list of leading restaurant chains.

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SOURCE Tropical Smoothie Cafe