HB Protein Smoothies Signs Six-Unit Houston Deal As Daniel Boone Takes Brand Into Texas

HB Protein Smoothies has signed a six-unit franchise agreement for Houston, Texas, continuing a run of multi-unit growth announcements for the protein-focused beverage concept. The deal was signed by a confidential experienced restaurant operations group working with Nick Hernandez from H5 Ventures for real estate. Even without naming the franchisee group, the announcement is relevant because it shows HB moving from early-stage franchise opportunity into larger territory commitments in major U.S. markets.

The Houston agreement follows another recently announced multi-unit deal spanning Arizona, Idaho and Oregon. HB is trying to create momentum in a category where protein has moved from a niche fitness concern into a mainstream consumer habit. The concept's pitch is simple: high-protein smoothies that taste like dessert, delivered through a streamlined store model with lower operating complexity than many restaurant concepts. That combination can appeal to multi-unit operators who want a beverage concept with repeat-visit potential but do not want a full kitchen buildout.

Dan Rowe, chief executive of Fransmart and an investor in HB Protein Smoothies, said the Houston group had the operational discipline the brand looks for and saw how easily HB could convert into existing footprints. He also pointed to a claimed 32.49 percent adjusted EBITDA figure. That is a strong development claim, but prospective buyers should still verify the basis for any earnings representation in the Franchise Disclosure Document. For franchise-market readers, the more important point is that HB is being sold as an operator-friendly conversion and growth vehicle, not only as a consumer smoothie brand.

Co-founder Daniel Boone said adding Texas confirmed the brand's belief that HB works because it is simple, healthy and community-driven. The official franchise site says Boone founded the smoothie shop more than 14 years ago with the goal of making protein shakes taste good rather than chalky. That founder story is central to the concept's positioning. HB is not entering franchising with only a trend. It is arguing that it has spent years refining a product that can support daily routines and repeat customer behavior.

The official franchise site also emphasizes flexible footprints, simple buildout needs and a model without hoods, vents, ovens or heavy kitchen equipment. Those details matter because construction costs and labor pressure are shaping franchise decisions across food and beverage. A smaller, lower-equipment smoothie model may be easier to place in inline, end-cap or drive-thru formats than a full restaurant. But simple buildout does not automatically mean simple business. Operators still need strong real estate, daypart strategy, hiring, local marketing and menu consistency.

The Houston deal makes HB one of the more interesting early-stage food-franchise stories to watch in 2026. A confidential operator group reduces public validation compared with a named franchisee, but the size of the agreement and the Texas market entry are significant. If HB can convert multi-unit commitments into successful openings, it will strengthen the case that high-protein beverage concepts can move beyond boutique wellness customers into mainstream franchising. The next proof point will be execution: signed units, secured sites, opening cadence and whether customers treat the smoothies as a routine purchase rather than a novelty.