Happy Belly Food Group's Heal Wellness Signs A 10 Unit Development Agreement for the State of Colorado, USA
Rhea-AI Summary
Happy Belly Food Group (OTCQB: HBFGF) announced that its Heal Wellness acai and smoothie bowl brand signed a 10-unit franchise development agreement for the State of Colorado on December 17, 2025. The deal is part of the company’s U.S. franchising expansion and state-by-state framework with multi-unit operators.
Heal currently has 30 locations open, 178 in development, and contributes to Happy Belly’s 666 contractually committed retail franchise locations across its portfolio. Company executives highlighted real estate planning, state-specific franchise documentation, and an asset-light royalty model.
Positive
- Signed a 10-unit franchise development agreement for Colorado
- Heal has 30 open locations
- Heal has 178 locations in development
- Portfolio includes 666 contractually committed franchise locations
- Pursuing an asset-light franchise model intended to drive recurring royalty revenue
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction 1 Alert
On the day this news was published, HBFGF gained 1.77%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 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 its acai and smoothie bowl QSR brand, Heal Wellness ("Heal"), has entered into a 10-unit franchise development agreement with a U.S.-based multi-unit operator for the State of Colorado.
Happy Belly 1
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The agreement marks another meaningful milestone in Happy Belly's disciplined U.S. franchising expansion strategy as the Company continues to establish state-by-state frameworks with experienced development partners.
"As we continue to build out our U.S. franchising platform, Colorado represents a highly strategic market for Heal Wellness," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group. "This 10-unit commitment reinforces our approach of entering new states with strong, well-capitalized, multi-unit franchise partners who understand local real estate, operations, and development execution. It allows us to accelerate market entry while maintaining brand standards and unit-level economics."
Colorado offers a compelling backdrop for Heal Wellness, driven by its strong health-and-wellness culture, active lifestyle demographics, and urban centers with dense concentrations of young professionals, students, and fitness-oriented consumers. Markets across the state are well aligned with Heal's positioning as a convenient, better-for-you QSR brand focused on functional nutrition and premium ingredients.
"Our real estate planning and site selection efforts are already underway as we work with our franchise partner to identify prime locations that match Heal's core customer profile. In parallel, we continue to advance state-specific franchise documentation and compliance as part of our broader U.S. rollout strategy."
Happy Belly 2
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"Partnering with a development partner allows us to have boots on the ground as we proceed to establish our presence in warmer regions of North America for Heal as we continually expand the presence of our emerging brands. Working with development partners has been a key driver of success in my previous experience growing brands across North America," said Sean Black. "We believe Heal Wellness is exceptionally well positioned for growth in the United States, and Colorado is another important step as we build a durable and disciplined U.S. franchise footprint. By partnering with experienced developers, we continue to execute an asset-light franchise model designed to deliver scalable growth, recurring royalty revenue, and long-term shareholder value."
"Heal Wellness continues to expand rapidly across Canada and into the United States, solidifying its position as a leading acai and smoothie bowl brand. With 30 locations now open and more than 178 in development, Heal contributes to Happy Belly's broader portfolio of 666 contractually committed retail franchise locations across multiple emerging brands in various stages of development, construction, and operation. Our predictable and disciplined growth engine continues to deliver measurable results as we expand our brands across Canada and the U.S 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 across Canada.
Happy Belly 3
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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/278326
FAQ
What did Happy Belly (HBFGF) announce on December 17, 2025 about Heal Wellness in Colorado?
How many Heal Wellness locations are open and in development according to the December 17, 2025 release?
What is the total number of contractually committed retail franchise locations for Happy Belly (HBFGF)?
How does the Colorado 10-unit agreement fit Happy Belly's U.S. strategy (HBFGF)?
Will the Heal Wellness Colorado expansion require company-owned stores or use an asset-light model (HBFGF)?
