Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – February 11, 2026) – Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) (“Happy Belly” or the “Company”), a leading consolidator of emerging restaurant brands, is pleased to announce that its Heal Wellness brand (“Heal”) has signed a franchise agreement and real-estate location in the city of Woodstock, Ontario. This location further advances Heal’s disciplined, asset-light growth strategy as the brand continues to expand across Ontario’s high-growth urban and suburban markets. Heal Wellness is a fast-growing quick-service restaurant (“QSR”) brand specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies, built around clean ingredients and a better-for-you lifestyle.
Happy Belly 1
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“The signing of a franchise agreement and secured real estate location in Woodstock reflects our continued focus on expanding Heal into strong, community-oriented markets with favorable demographic and traffic fundamentals,” said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group. “Woodstock benefits from steady population growth, a growing commercial base, and a well-balanced mix of residents, commuters, and families seeking convenient, health-forward food options. These characteristics align well with Heal’s functional, grab-and-go offering and support sustainable, long-term unit performance.”
Woodstock serves as a regional hub in Southwestern Ontario, benefiting from its strategic location along the Highway 401 corridor and its role as a growing employment and retail center. The city’s expanding residential developments, established retail nodes, and increasing focus on wellness-oriented lifestyles provide a compelling backdrop for Heal’s smoothie and smoothie bowl products. The secured location offers strong visibility, accessibility, and proximity to daily-use retail, positioning Heal to capture consistent demand throughout the day.
Heal Wellness continues to gain momentum as consumer demand for wellness-focused QSR concepts accelerates across major Canadian cities. With a scalable format, strong unit economics, and an expanding network of experienced franchise partners, Heal is well positioned to deepen its presence across Ontario while expanding into additional Canadian and U.S. markets.
“Heal Wellness continues to expand rapidly across Canada and into the United States, solidifying its position as a leading açaí and smoothie bowl brand. With 31 locations now open and more than 177 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.”
Happy Belly 2
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“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 3
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Sean Black
Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer
Shawn Moniz
Co-founder, President
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.
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