Happy Belly Food Group Inc - HBFGF STOCK NEWS

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has announced the signing of its 48th franchise agreement for its Heal Wellness brand in Grand Bend, Ontario. Heal Wellness, a quick-service restaurant specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and smoothies, continues its expansion across Canada.

The new location will be situated in Grand Bend, a popular beach destination on Lake Huron's shores, chosen for its strong tourism appeal and health-conscious community. The company views this expansion as validation of their growth model and plans to accelerate both organic and inorganic growth in 2025.

The company's franchise program aims to minimize entrepreneurship risks while maintaining brand integrity. As free cash flow increases, Happy Belly plans to accelerate corporate store development while leveraging additional growth from its franchise network.

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has signed a 20-unit area development agreement for iQ Food Co. in British Columbia on February 25th, 2025. This expansion brings the total units under development agreements for iQ to 65 locations.

The company has partnered with Stephen Travers, a seasoned Western Canada area developer with over 23 years of QSR experience and a track record of building more than 200 QSR restaurants. iQ Food Co., acquired by Happy Belly in September 2024, specializes in healthy bowls, smoothies, sandwiches, soups, and salads, targeting health-conscious customers in urban and business districts.

Happy Belly Food Group currently maintains 476 contractually committed retail franchise locations across all its emerging brands, including those in development, under construction, or already operational. The company plans to expand this pipeline significantly in 2025 & 2026.

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has signed a 10-unit area development agreement for HEAL Wellness in Saskatchewan, marking its entry into the fourth Canadian province. This agreement expands HEAL's total committed units to 110 locations across various stages of development.

The company has appointed Stephen Travers as Area Developer for Saskatchewan, leveraging his 22-year QSR experience and track record of developing over 165 QSR restaurants. Travers, who previously worked with brands like Extreme Pita and Mucho Burrito, will lead the expansion in the region.

Happy Belly currently has 456 contractually committed retail franchise locations across all its emerging brands portfolio, including those in development, under construction, or already operational. The company plans to accelerate its expansion plans throughout 2025 and 2026, focusing on strategic growth in the Health and Wellness QSR sector.

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has announced the opening of Yolk's Breakfast's newest location in Ottawa, Ontario at 852 Bank Street. This marks Yolk's first location in Ontario, situated in 'The Glebe' neighborhood.

The company has secured 51 contractually committed units with area developers for Yolks, with franchise agreements now in place across British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. The location is being opened by an existing multi-unit franchisee, who has committed to their third franchise within the Happy Belly portfolio in less than a year.

Happy Belly currently has 446 contractually committed retail franchise locations across all its emerging brands, including those in development, under construction, or already open. The company plans to expand this pipeline significantly in 2025 & 2026, leveraging their experience in growing brands like Extreme Pita and Mucho Burrito to over 400 locations.

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has signed a significant area development agreement for 25 new franchised locations of Smile Tiger Coffee Roasters in British Columbia. This agreement, signed on February 12th, 2025, follows the recent acquisition of Smile Tiger on January 27th, 2025.

The company has partnered with Scott Grandin, described as one of Canada's top Area Developers in the QSR industry. Happy Belly currently maintains 446 contractually committed retail franchise locations across its portfolio brands, including those in development, under construction, or already operational.

The company's strategy focuses on acquiring cash-flow-positive, debt-free brands with positive same-store sales, aiming to double EBITDA within 24 months. Happy Belly's portfolio includes brands such as Heal Wellness, iQ Foods, Via Cibo, Rosie's Burgers, and Yolks Breakfast.

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has appointed David LeBlanc as Director of Design and Construction to support their expansion plans. LeBlanc brings extensive experience from previous roles at Basil Box, b.good, BUILD IT, and MTY, where he worked with CEO Sean Black.

The appointment comes as Happy Belly prepares for what they anticipate to be a record-breaking year for store openings in 2025 and 2026. LeBlanc will collaborate with brand managers, franchisees, and corporate teams to manage design and construction timetables for both corporate and franchisee stores.

His role will focus on efficient execution, scalability, and profitability to maintain Happy Belly's standards during their growth phase. The company aims to achieve disciplined organic growth through both emerging brands and strategic acquisitions.

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has announced the opening of its newest Heal Wellness location in Calgary, Alberta. The new store, located in the Mount Royal neighborhood, marks the 7th Heal Wellness store in Western Canada and brings the total system-wide count to 16 locations.

The company has a significant expansion plan with 421 contractually committed retail locations across all brands in their portfolio. Specifically for Heal Wellness, there is a contractual commitment for 100 units across Canada and the US. Multiple locations are currently under construction in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario.

Happy Belly operates on an asset-light franchising model, focusing on securing quality franchisees and prime real estate locations. The company expects to accelerate its corporate store development as the brand's free cash flow grows.

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has secured a franchise and location for HEAL Wellness in Aurora, Ontario. The new quick-service restaurant (QSR), specializing in smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and smoothies, will be located at 15570 Yonge Street. The location is strategically positioned near Magna International Headquarters and various educational institutions.

The company highlighted Aurora's demographic advantages, including its high median income and health-conscious population. The new location is expected to open in Q2, 2025. Happy Belly currently has 421 retail locations contractually committed across all its emerging brands, including stores in development, under construction, and operational.

The company is implementing an asset-light franchising model and plans to accelerate corporate store development as the brand's free cash flow grows.

Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) has completed its 100% acquisition of Smile Tiger Coffee Roasters on January 27th, 2025, marking its first entry into the coffee sector. The acquisition, valued at $250,000 CDN, was completed through a combination of $125,000 cash and 104,000 common shares worth $125,000.

This represents Happy Belly's 11th brand overall and 9th quick-service restaurant brand, with the purchase price estimated at 3.3x EBITDA based on Smile Tiger's 2024 sales exceeding $1,000,000. The acquisition includes Smile Tiger's coffee roasting capabilities, consumer-packaged goods, and white-label products, enabling Happy Belly to supply its own brands nationwide and capitalize on the growing coffee, tea, bubble tea, and energy drink markets.