How Ross Franklin is Scaling Pure Green to 100+ Stores
Table of Contents
The 80% Nutrition Rule: From Fitness to Founding Pure Green
What Makes Pure Green Different?
The Unchanging Vision: Building Healthier Communities
Scaling Smart: Overcoming Franchise Challenges
Cultivating Consistency: The Power of Franchise Partner Culture
How Ross Leads: Daily Metrics & Personal Discipline
AI, Personalization, and Smart Expansion
Own a Pure Green Franchise
In this episode of the ASCEND Growth AI Podcast, host Theresa Batiller talks with Ross Franklin about the strategy behind the brand’s growth.
Theresa Batiller, host of the ASCEND Growth AI Podcast, interviewing Ross Franklin on franchise growth strategy.
They discuss what it takes to lead a purpose-based franchise, how a strong culture impacts daily operations, and the role technology will play in the future of wellness.
Ross shares lessons that go beyond products or profit. This is about how to lead with clarity, respond quickly, and build something lasting.
The 80% Nutrition Rule: From Fitness to Founding Pure Green
Ross Franklin started in fitness. He ran health clubs, consulted for gym chains, and partnered with yoga and Pilates studios. The problem he kept seeing? People struggled with nutrition, not with workouts.
“When you look at optimal health, nutrition accounts for 80% of getting results. That became the founding principle for Pure Green.”
Pure Green launched in 2014 with a focus on cold-pressed juice and superfood smoothies. What began as a single location has become one of the fastest-growing wellness franchises in the country, now with 70+ stores open and 150 more in development.
What Makes Pure Green Different?
Plenty of juice and smoothie brands exist. Pure Green stands out because it’s mission-first: building healthier communities by making superfoods accessible.
Menus include smoothies, acai bowls, and pitaya bowls, but the brand puts equal weight on guest experience.
“We like to call them guests. When people come into the store, we aim to treat them like you would treat a guest in your own home, rather than treating customers in a transactional way.”
Pure Green stores operate in diverse markets, from college campuses in Florida to corporate hubs in Chicago, but the service model stays consistent.
Pure Green emphasizes core values—educating guests, delivering nutrition and taste, building connections, and continuous improvement.
Every detail is designed to deliver both nutrition and connection.
The Unchanging Vision: Building Healthier Communities
The mission has stayed the same since 2014, while the scale has grown. Pure Green now opens three to five stores every month. Ross puts it simply:
“Our vision has never changed. Just the number of people who are supporting the mission has grown.”
Even if a potential franchise owner has strong financial ability, the team selects partners based on their alignment with the vision. That clarity has been critical in avoiding short-term growth that compromises long-term brand culture.
“Pure Green, right off the bat, seemed like a great fit for us. We really always seem to gravitate towards health-conscious brands, and this just seemed to fit perfectly.”
Franchisees operate with purpose and continue the mission in everything they do. This alignment has been crucial to Pure Green's success.
Scaling Smart: Overcoming Franchise Challenges
Early on, some partners were brought on without deep vetting. A few weren’t aligned with the mission, which slowed growth.
Today, every franchisee goes through multiple interviews and peer calls with existing owners before approval.
Another challenge is an absentee owner. In some cases, owners disappeared after opening, leading to underperforming stores.
Pure Green now requires active engagement, especially in the first year.
Take the Portland franchisee, Parvaneh, as an example. The owner spends several hours a day in-store, reviewing numbers, greeting guests, and coaching the team. That location consistently ranks among the top five in sales nationwide.
“The best franchise partners are people who are passionate about health and wellness. When the franchise owner is present in the store, that’s where the magic happens.”
Franchise partner Parvaneh with guests inside her Pure Green Portland store, consistently ranked among the top five in sales nationwide.
Lesson: Engaged ownership drives performance.
Cultivating Consistency: The Power of Franchise Partner Culture
Consistency across stores comes from culture, not just operations manuals.
Franchisees connect daily through peer groups and share solutions to common challenges. This creates a system where top performers lift newer owners.
“We treat our franchise partners as partners. They’re our business partners. And so our interaction with them is, we treat them like a partner.”
Peer validation is also part of the onboarding. Every applicant speaks with at least two current franchisees to hear candid feedback. If the fit isn’t right, the process stops there. This approach ensures new partners protect culture instead of diluting it.
How Ross Leads: Daily Metrics & Personal Discipline
Ross Franklin leads by example, starting each day with a breathwork session, trampoline workout, and short exercises to boost focus and energy.
But discipline goes beyond personal routine. Every day at 9 a.m., Ross leads a corporate team call. The group reviews:
Store revenue data
Weather impacts
Google reviews and SEO reports (pulled by VAs)
Recognition for top-performing stores
If a location falls short, Ross calls the franchise partner directly. That level of accountability sets the tone for the entire organization.
The principle: Spot issues, address them fast, and move forward with solutions.
AI, Personalization, and Smart Expansion
Consumer behavior has shifted. Guests often turn to TikTok or Instagram for health advice. That creates both opportunity and risk where wellness misinformation spreads quickly. Pure Green is using data and AI to stay ahead.
Agreements & Admin: After the annual summit, AI tools flagged discrepancies in vendor contracts, saving hours of manual review.
Guest App: The new loyalty app personalizes offers based on past orders, includes tiered rewards, and drives repeat visits.
Inventory & Training: AI pilots are underway for franchisee onboarding, inventory tracking, and team assessments.
Ross’s goal is clear:
“We want to be the company that figures AI out before everyone else does.”
Own a Pure Green Franchise
Pure Green is on pace to hit 100 open stores in the next six months. That milestone matters:
Lowers food distribution costs
Reduces cost of goods sold
Strengthens brand credibility in the franchise industry
Behind every number, it’s people who truly drive growth. Pure Green selects prospective franchisees who want to make a real impact in their communities lead with purpose.
If you’re considering franchising, ask yourself:
Do I have a passion for health and wellness?
Am I willing to lead from the front, not the sidelines?
Do I want to join a system that values culture as much as revenue?
Pure Green has the systems. The leadership is proven. And the opportunity is backed by data.
Why This Matters for Future Franchise Owners
Ross Franklin is scaling Pure Green by combining mission alignment, operational discipline, and smart use of AI. The brand is building a network of engaged owners committed to healthier communities.
If you want a franchise that measures success by more than numbers, Pure Green is worth a close look.
Visit puregreenfranchise.com to learn how you can open your own Pure Green location.
