Smoothie King opens first Rockford franchise, 2nd area location coming to Belvidere
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our mobile app
ROCKFORD — A national chain that was the first smoothie franchise to operate in the country now has its first location in the Rockford region.
Smoothie King opened Monday at 6274 E. State St., which is between H&R Block and AT&T in a commercial strip owned by First Midwest Group. A second area Smoothie King is slated to open in early August at 1890 Crystal Pkwy Ste 100, Belvidere.
More eat and drink: Family-owned taqueria Marrufo’s Tacos opens in south Rockford
Smoothie King’s history dates back to 1973, when co-founder Steve Kuhnau began experimenting with recipes in his home kitchen. Smoothie King became the nation’s first smoothie franchise in 1989, according to the company’s website.
It now operates more than 1,400 locations globally. A Sycamore couple is responsible for bringing the franchise here.
Smoothie King, as the name implies, specializes in smoothies made with blends of organic vegetables and whole fruits with no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors. It has vegan and veggie blends, as well as protein-packed smoothies to support muscle recovery and coffee blends if you need a pick-me-up.
The franchise also has smoothie bowls with a base of acai or pitaya topped with various fruit options.
The company was founded by Steve and Cindy Kuhnau and sold in July 2012 to SK USA Inc., which is led by CEO Wan Kim.
The privately held company operates its headquarters out of the New Orleans area.
About | Smoothie King
Opened: July 15, 2024
Where: 6274 E. State St., Rockford
Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday
Online: Smoothieking.com
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
