Happy Belly Food Group's Heal Wellness QSR Secures First U.S. Real-Estate Location in Lubbock, Texas
Rhea-AI Summary
Happy Belly Food Group (OTCQB: HBFGF) announced that Heal Wellness has secured its first U.S. real-estate site in Lubbock, Texas, with a planned opening in 2026. The Lubbock location is positioned in a high-traffic retail corridor near Texas Tech University (about 41,000–42,000 students) and aims to capture year-round demand for smoothie and açaí bowls in a warm-weather market.
Heal currently has 27 locations open, 168 in development, and contributes to 626 contractually committed franchise locations across Happy Belly’s portfolio, reflecting the company’s franchise-driven, asset-light expansion strategy.
Positive
- First U.S. site secured in Lubbock, Texas with 2026 opening
- 27 Heal locations currently open
- 168 Heal locations in development
- 626 contractually committed franchise locations across portfolio
- High-traffic site near Texas Tech University (41,000–42,000 students)
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, HBFGF gained 3.61%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 6, 2025) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands, is pleased to announce that Heal Wellness ("Heal") has secured its first U.S. real-estate location in the State of Texas-an important step towards our plan to build Heal into North America's leading smoothie and acai bowl brand. Heal Wellness is a quick-service restaurant ("QSR") brand specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies.
Happy Belly 1
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"Today's announcement is a major step forward for both Heal Wellness and Happy Belly as we enter the United States with our first secured real-estate site in Lubbock, Texas, home of Texas Tech University," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly. "This is the 1st site for our Texas-based multi-unit franchise partners, with a planned opening in 2026. Texas offers the exact demand profile we look for when expanding into the United States: a warm climate that drives year-round smoothie and açaí bowl consumption, strong population growth, active lifestyle demographics, and robust disposable income across major urban areas. This is the right market, at the right time, with the right brand."
Texas is among the most dynamic consumer markets in the U.S., supported by rapid immigration, a pro-business environment, and an energetic health-and-fitness culture. These fundamentals align with Heal's menu of better-for-you items, fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies. Positioning the brand to serve families, students, professionals, and fitness-minded consumers seeking quick, nourishing choices in a warm-weather market where cold and blended beverages perform strongly throughout the year. Further to these fundamentals, Lubbock is a fast-growing regional hub with over 270,000 residents and a wider urban area population of 360,000, anchored by Texas Tech University's 41,000-42,000 students providing a steady customer engine for year-round foot traffic and wellness-oriented demand.
The secured Texas site features high visibility and convenient access within a high-traffic retail corridor, consistent with the company's disciplined site-selection approach that pairs strategic real estate with experienced operators to drive strong unit economics. This U.S. beachhead complements Heal's ongoing Canadian rollout and demonstrates the portability of Happy Belly's asset-light, franchise-driven growth model.
Heal Wellness continues to accelerate its expansion, with 27 locations currently open and over 168 in development, contributing to 626 contractually committed retail franchise locations across Happy Belly's portfolio of emerging brands in various stages of development, construction, and operation. This announcement follows a string of recent expansion milestones for Happy Belly across multiple Canadian provinces, and now into the United States, reinforcing its mission to become a leading restaurant consolidator.
Happy Belly 2
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"Our predictable and disciplined growth engine continues to deliver measurable results as we expand our brands across Canada and now the United States to create long-term value for our shareholders."
"We are just getting started," added Sean Black.
About Heal Wellness
Heal Wellness was founded with a passion and mission to provide quick, fresh wellness foods that support a busy and active lifestyle. We currently offer a diverse range of smoothie bowls and smoothies. We take pride in meticulously selecting every superfood ingredient on our menu to fuel the body, including acai smoothie bowls, smoothies, and super-seed grain bowls. Our smoothie bowls are crafted with real fruit and enriched with superfoods like acai, pitaya, goji berries, chia seeds, and more.
Franchising
For franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at hello@happybellyfg.com.
About Happy Belly Food Group
Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands. The Company's portfolio includes Heal Wellness, Rosie's Burgers, Yolks Breakfast, Via Cibo Italian Street Food, and others.
Happy Belly Food Group
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Sean Black
Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer
Shawn Moniz
Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:
www: www.happybellyfg.com or email hello@happybellyfg.com
If you wish to contact us please call: 1-877-589-8805
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/273415
FAQ
What did Happy Belly (HBFGF) announce on November 6, 2025 about Heal Wellness in Texas?
How many Heal Wellness locations does Happy Belly report are open and in development?
How does the Lubbock site support Heal Wellness's U.S. expansion strategy?
What is the broader scale of Happy Belly's franchise commitments after this announcement?
When is the Heal Wellness Lubbock location scheduled to open and who are the operators?
What consumer demographics does Happy Belly cite for choosing Texas for expansion?
