Smoothie King Unveils the Secret to Natural Energy; Introduces ``Drink of the Gods''...

Smoothie King Unveils the Secret to Natural Energy; Introduces ``Drink of the Gods'' With Yerba Mate Smoothie

NEW ORLEANS--(Business Wire)--
Yerba mate (pronounced YER-ba MA-tay) has folks revved up as
nature's latest contribution to the highly functional "superfood"
category. Following its mission to encourage more and more people to
achieve healthy lifestyles, Smoothie King has made the ancient yerba
mate plant available to mainstream America. Berry Stimulating Mate, a
combination of blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, Guayaki organic
yerba mate, turbinado and nonfat milk, is now available at Smoothie
King's more than 550 locations across the country.

"Often called the 'drink of the gods,' yerba mate is one of the
cleanest forms of energy on earth. It provides all the advantages of
caffeine, naturally -- without the jitters or drastic highs and lows,"
said Steve Kuhnau, Smoothie King's co-founder and president. "Every
smoothie on our menu was created with a specific health function in
mind, and this one really packs a punch with its wide range of
beneficial properties."

Yerba mate boasts a host of attributes, including helping to
induce mental clarity, sustain energy, aid in weight control and
digestion, increase metabolism, and lessen the effects of allergies
and diabetes.

The yerba mate plant is indigenous to the rainforests of
Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil and has been served as a favorite
beverage of South Americans for hundreds of years. The plant contains
a natural blend of caffeine, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants,
providing an invigorating flow of energy and clarity of mind. Yerba
(meaning herb) and mate (meaning cup), is traditionally served out of
a hollow gourd and sipped through a metal straw (called a bombilla).
The drink is passed, shared in a gesture of community and friendship.

Smoothie King's supplier, Guayaki, was the first to offer
certified organic, fairly traded and rainforest-grown yerba mate to
the marketplace. Guayaki works with farmers in South America to
promote sustainable growing practices, to preserve and reforest the
land, and to create a renewable income stream -- effectively bettering
the lives of the local communities.

A 20-ounce blend of the new Berry Stimulating Mate smoothie
contains caffeine equivalent to one cup of coffee, 348 calories (298
when made "skinny"), four grams of protein and six grams of fiber. For
more information on the new yerba mate smoothie, visit
http://www.smoothieking.com/smoothies/yerba-mate.php.

To date, more than 200 million Smoothie King smoothies have been
served at more than 550 locations in 32 states across the United
States and in South Korea. Smoothie King is consistently ranked number
one in its category and ranked number 109 in the top 500 franchises by
Entrepreneur Magazine, as well as ranked number 99 as a top global
franchise.

About Smoothie King Franchises, Inc.

Smoothie King is a privately held, New Orleans-area-based
franchise company and the premier Smoothie Bar and Nutritional
Lifestyle Center in the industry. Smoothie King Centers offer guests
the industry's first, original nutritional fruit- and function-based,
fresh-blended smoothies. Each Lifestyle Center also offers healthy
retail product solutions, including sports beverages, energy bars,
healthy snacks, vitamin supplements, herbs, minerals and other sports
nutrition products. Smoothie King opened its first store in 1973 and
started as the first franchised smoothie bar/health food store
business in the United States in 1989. Smoothie King currently has
more than 550 units operating in 32 states and the Republic of Korea.
For more information, visit www.smoothieking.com.

About Guayaki

Founded in 1997, Guayaki is the leading provider of organic,
fairly traded, rainforest-grown yerba mate in North America with
products sold at thousands of natural foods stores, cafes and
supermarkets. For more information about Guayaki and their
invigorating products, please visit www.guayaki.com.

Smoothie King, New Orleans
Stephanie Webb, 513-285-2136
stephaniewebb@sjp.com
or
Katherine Meariman, 985-635-6973, ext. 128
katherinem@smoothieking.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008