HAPPY BELLY FOOD GRP (HBFGF) Stock News, Jun 10-26, 2025

Happy Belly Food Group (OTCQB: HBFGF) has announced a significant expansion of its Heal Wellness QSR brand, signing a 15-unit area development agreement in Manitoba. This strategic move completes Heal's national presence across all 10 Canadian provinces, bringing the total to 195 contractually committed locations coast to coast.

The company's emerging brand portfolio now encompasses 606 units under development agreements across Canada. Heal Wellness, specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and smoothies, is positioned as Canada's first true national smoothie bowl brand. The expansion into Manitoba, particularly in Winnipeg, targets a diverse customer base in a dynamic food scene with favorable economic conditions.

Happy Belly Food Group (OTCQB: HBFGF) announced that multi-unit franchisee David Lamph has secured his 4th Heal Wellness location in Toronto at Cadillac Fairview's Ice Condos. The new location, expected to open in late Q1 2026, will be situated in a high-traffic area near Scotia Bank Arena and CN Tower.

Heal Wellness, a QSR brand specializing in smoothie bowls, currently has 25 locations open across Canada. Happy Belly has secured 591 franchise locations contractually committed across its portfolio, including units in planning, construction, and operation. The company continues to execute its national expansion strategy through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) achieves a significant milestone with the simultaneous opening of four new restaurants on June 21st, 2025. The expansion includes iQ Food Co., Heal Wellness, and Rosie's Burgers at CF Shops at Don Mills in Toronto, plus another Heal Wellness location in Bolton. This brings their total store count to 61 corporate and franchised locations. The company's partnership with Cadillac Fairview enables rapid market expansion, with iQ Food Co. reaching its 6th GTA location, Heal Wellness marking its 24th and 25th stores, and Rosie's Burgers opening its 8th location. Happy Belly's innovative real estate strategy involves shared space combinations, with iQ and Heal Wellness sharing a 1,500 sq ft store. The company reports 591 retail franchise locations contractually committed, spanning planning, construction, and operational phases through 2025-2026.

Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) has signed a 40-unit area development agreement for Heal Wellness QSR expansion in Quebec. Heal Wellness, specializing in smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies, will now operate in its 9th Canadian province. This agreement brings Heal's total committed units to 180 across Canada and the U.S. The expansion will be led by the same Quebec-based development team managing Happy Belly's Yolks Breakfast brand, leveraging their 22+ years of experience in franchise operations. The company's total franchise commitment now stands at 591 retail locations across all brands, with locations in various stages from planning to operation. Happy Belly emphasizes its asset-light franchise model as key to disciplined organic growth and shareholder value creation.

Happy Belly Food Group has announced a new franchise agreement and secured a location for iQ Food Co. in Toronto's Avenue and Lawrence area. The location, set to open in Q3 2025, will be operated by an experienced multi-unit franchisee who currently runs several Heal Wellness restaurants. Since acquiring iQ Food Co. in September 2024, Happy Belly has expanded from 4 to 7 locations, appointed Randall Papineau as President of Emerging Brands, and secured area development agreements for 65 new locations across Canada (20 in Alberta, 25 in Ontario, 20 in British Columbia). The company expects to double system sales within 12 months of acquisition. Happy Belly currently has 551 contractually committed retail franchise locations in various stages of development.

Happy Belly Food Group (HBFG) has signed a significant 5-store franchise agreement for its Heal Wellness QSR brand on Vancouver Island, BC. The agreement was signed with an experienced multi-unit operator who already manages existing Heal locations in BC's lower mainland. Heal Wellness specializes in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies, targeting health-conscious consumers. The expansion aligns with Vancouver Island's demographics, characterized by an active outdoor lifestyle and strong tourism industry. Happy Belly currently maintains 551 contractually committed retail franchise locations across Canada, with plans for continued expansion through 2025 and 2026.

Happy Belly Food Group (HBFG) has secured a prime real estate location in Charlottetown, PEI for its HEAL Wellness QSR brand, just two weeks after signing a franchisee for the province. The location, expected to open in late Q3 2025, will be operated by an experienced multi-unit franchisee who already owns Lettuce Love Café and HEAL Wellness locations in Hamilton. HEAL Wellness specializes in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies. This expansion marks a significant milestone in Happy Belly's national growth strategy, positioning HEAL as the first true national smoothie bowl brand with coast-to-coast presence. The company currently has 551 retail franchise locations contractually committed across its portfolio of emerging brands, with plans for continued expansion through 2025 and 2026.

Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) announced that CEO Sean Black has exercised 3,715,278 performance warrants ahead of schedule, demonstrating confidence in the company's growth trajectory. The warrants, valued at $743,000, will be paid over several quarters to support corporate store growth and strategic M&A. Black, who has previously built and sold successful food companies to MTY and Recipe, implemented a shareholder-first approach by refusing standard founder shares and opting for performance-based warrants. This structure ensures management is rewarded only after delivering shareholder value, with no board member or management receiving compensated shares to date. The company continues its mission to become Canada's leading restaurant consolidator with a focus on acquiring and scaling emerging food brands.

Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) has secured its first Vancouver location for Rosie's Burgers at the University of British Columbia campus, following a multi-unit franchise agreement for five locations in British Columbia. The UBC location, serving smash burgers, poutine, and milkshakes, will cater to over 65,000 students plus faculty and staff. This expansion is part of Rosie's broader growth strategy, with 105 units secured through development agreements across Canada. The location offers potential inclusion in UBC's meal program and represents the company's strategic approach to site selection. The franchisee is a multi-brand operator within Happy Belly's portfolio, demonstrating confidence in the company's business model. Happy Belly is pursuing a hybrid expansion model combining corporate-owned stores with franchise operations to accelerate national growth while maintaining operational standards.