Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 14, 2025) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada, is pleased to announce the signing of a franchise agreement with a multi-unit operator, who has secured a real estate location in Calgary's Britannia neighborhood. This site will mark their 7th location in Calgary and 10th in Alberta, part of a committed 15-unit expansion across the province. Heal Wellness ("Heal") is a fresh smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and smoothies quick serve restaurant ("QSR").
Happy Belly 1
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"Following yesterday's announcement of our newest corporate store, we are excited to share that a franchise agreement has been signed for a new location, bringing Heal Wellness' presence in Alberta to 11 locations. Both the corporate and franchised locations are scheduled to open in Q4 of this year, with several additional stores currently under construction and set to open throughout 2025," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly. "The strong momentum behind Heal Wellness-and across the wider Happy Belly portfolio of emerging brands-continues to build as we expand rapidly through a combination of corporate and franchised store growth. Our disciplined approach, blending organic expansion with strategic acquisitions, is driving measurable results and reinforcing the scalability of our brands."
"What's especially exciting is that customers from coast to coast are beginning to recognize Heal as Canada's first truly national smoothie bowl brand. We're seeing growing brand awareness and loyalty in every new market we enter, validating our vision and reinforcing the strength of our franchise system. Franchisees are demonstrating strong confidence in the brand, with many current partners moving into multi-unit ownership, and existing multi-unit owners continuing to grow their portfolios with additional locations. This shows tremendous trust in our brands and our operational model. This strong franchise engagement, paired with our scalable and asset-light approach, continues to unlock value for our stakeholders. For our investors, this rollout is a clear signal of our long-term growth trajectory and our commitment to building a leading force in the Canadian QSR landscape.
"This new location off Elbow Drive, showcases the neighborhood of Britannia through its mix of residential and commercial areas, providing a steady flow of both local residents and office workers seeking fresh, convenient, and healthy dining options. Its proximity to bustling retail streets and nearby amenities ensures strong foot traffic, while the community's active lifestyle and health-conscious demographic align perfectly with the wellness-focused menu of acai and smoothie bowls. Additionally, Britannia benefits from easy accessibility and visibility, making it an ideal spot to build brand awareness, attract repeat customers, and establish a loyal local following."
Happy Belly 2
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"Heal's first-mover advantage in our chosen markets has enabled us to experience significant growth with units under construction in Alberta, Ontario and P.E.I. Supported by 195 units for Heal Wellness already secured under development agreements stretching coast to coast we have set the stage for continued, predictable expansion for Heal.
"The Happy Belly portfolio has 616 retail locations under contract-spanning projects in development, under construction, or already open-our franchise pipeline is robust. By carefully selecting the right partners and prime real estate, we will maintain momentum and achieve our disciplined growth objectives through 2026.
"We are just getting started," said 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
Chief Executive Officer
Shawn Moniz
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/262470
SOURCE: Happy Belly Food Group Inc.
