FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Short Pump Gets a “Squeeze” of Fresh Smoothies

RICHMOND, VA – August 21, 2006 – Virginia’s first Squeeze Fresh Smoothies franchise is open in downtown Short Pump and celebrating its Grand Opening all summer long.

“I grew up on smoothies in California,” said Eric Thompson, Squeeze Short Pump owner. “Richmond didn’t have a ‘real’ smoothie shop, and I opened a Squeeze store in order to offer customers a healthy alternative to other frozen drinks that have lots of fat, sugar and caffeine.”

Squeeze juice is 100% natural with no sugar added and menu options with lower fat and calories. Squeeze also uses Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) fruit, meaning it’s picked ripe and immediately frozen to lock in nutrients and maximize flavor. In addition to traditional fruits, Squeeze also offers exotics like Açai and Amazon Cherry. All smoothies come with a free Squeeze Play nutritional supplement.

Based in Colorado, Squeeze has evolved the smoothie bar concept by bringing together fresh ingredients in an artful combination creating more than 30 varieties of flavorful and healthy products, including fruit smoothies and squeezed-to-order juices and green teas. Squeeze has a new Citrus Summer menu featuring such lemon and lime concoctions as Lemango, Limeapple and Strawberry Lemonade.

All Squeeze Fresh Smoothie stores are locally owned and operated which allow them to become more a part of the community and owners a greater opportunity to get involved in the neighborhoods in which they are established. Squeeze For Schools is a new program to benefit local schools.
“The company motto to ‘Embrace the Good Life’ brings with it the commitment to make a contribution to the communities in which we’re located,” said Thompson. “This fall, we want to create special fund raising opportunities in the stores, so kids can raise money for clubs, sports, and even church programs with a percentage of sales.”

Thompson is a recent transplant to Richmond from California. He joined his brother in a move to Richmond a year ago and liked it so much he has decided to stay. He may even be looking into opening a second Squeeze Fresh Smoothie store sometime soon.

Squeeze Fresh Smoothies opened its 11th franchise store in Parker, Colorado in early May and has plans to open 300 stores nationwide by 2010. In addition to Virginia, Squeeze Fresh Smoothie stores can be found in Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado.

For more information, please visit www.squeezeusa.com. For franchise information, call 1-888-732-2022.

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