Leading Smoothie, Superfruit Bowl & Raw Juice Chain Sees Nearly 15% SSS Growth Over 2019
Irvine, CA (Restaurant News Release) Juice It Up!, one of the nation’s leading handcrafted smoothie, superfruit bowl and raw juice chains, is proud to report that it achieved record sales in 2020, the brand’s 25th anniversary year, with Same Store Sales (SSS) up 14.75% over 2019. Remarkably, SSS exploded during the second half of 2020, growing 28% over the last six months of the year. Additionally, the brand doubled its number of loyalty club members in 2020, with 40% of loyalty member transactions placed via Juice It Up!’s mobile app. This strong growth on all fronts was achieved despite the many restrictions placed on restaurants and communities, a testament to Juice It Up!’s resilient franchisees, the brand’s loyal fans and new guests who are making health and wellness a priority.
“We are extremely proud of our franchisees who rose to every challenge in 2020 and embraced new ways to serve our guests the products they depend on to feel good throughout their day,” said Susan Taylor, CEO of Juice It Up! “Even during a pandemic, our discerning customers count on Juice It Up! to deliver on consistency and convenience, so we set to work on finding ways to make it easier than ever to get Juice It Up! into the hands of our guests.” Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme, owners and co-Chairman of the brand added, “we were most excited to see our franchisees’ Average Unit Volume (AUV) increase by over 13% in 2020, with the top 50% of stores doing almost $600,000 in AUV and the top 25% at nearly $700,000. Helping our franchisees grow AUV has been at the top of our list since we acquired the brand in 2018.”
Several factors contributed to the brand’s success in 2020 including enhanced digital marketing programs, the successful launch of the brand’s updated mobile app with “skip-the-line” order-ahead functionality, new rewards and perks for loyalty members, and significantly expanded third-party delivery partnerships with Door Dash, Postmates, and GrubHub, to allow Juice It Up! fans to enjoy their favorites without leaving their homes or workplaces. Product innovation was also at the forefront in 2020 as the company expanded its healthy shots line and portfolio of immunity-boosting ingredients and beverages, both of which resonated strongly with its functional nutrition seeking fans. Additionally, Juice It Up! was able to quickly implement the entire set of enhanced in-store health and safety protocols at the outset of the pandemic and also launch curbside pickup and tamper free packaging on delivery.
On the development front, ownership and the franchise leadership team finalized a fresh and new store design which was unveiled at the new corporate owned Costa Mesa, Calif. flagship location over the summer, followed by a new franchised location with the new look in Rialto, Calif. Franchise system support was ramped up during the year, including royalty and marketing fee abatement for seven weeks in March and April. Additionally, the brand bolstered its leadership and franchise support team with the promotion of Susan Taylor to President and CEO, the appointment of longtime Jamba executive Carlo Verdugo as Director of Operations & Business Development, and the addition of hiring on multiple professionals in social media and guest relations.
Taylor continued, “The exceptional results achieved during this highly competitive year proves that the demand for healthier food options is on the rise with no signs of slowing down. Now more than ever, with the brand’s momentum and sales growth at record highs, Juice It Up! is looking to identify new franchise partners who are ready to take advantage of the many unique opportunities that are now presenting themselves.”
As the brand moves into 2021, Juice It Up! expects to open eight to 10 new franchised locations in California and the West, and to further its remodel program to update existing stores to its refreshed new store design. The brand’s leadership team has identified several attractive trade areas throughout the western region, and real estate opportunities are abundant due to the unfortunate impact on restaurants from the pandemic. For more information about Juice It Up! and available franchise opportunities, visit www.juiceitupfranchise.com.
About Juice It Up!
Juice It Up!, one of the nation’s leading handcrafted smoothie, superfruit bowl and raw juice chains, was founded in 1995 with headquarters in Irvine, Calif. Juice It Up! designs every menu item focused on equal parts flavor and functionality to offer products that not only taste great, but also support a healthy and active lifestyle. With over 100 locations open or under development across California, New Mexico, Oregon and Texas, the company is showcasing a new restaurant design, a heavier focus on functional products and ingredient transparency, and a menu refresh that reflects the brand’s active personality and motto to “Live Life Juiced!” For more information about becoming a Juice It Up! franchise partner, visit www.juiceitupfranchise.com.
Juice It Up! Social Media Pages
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juiceitup/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/juiceitup/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/juiceituphq/
Contact:
Chelsea McKinney
Powerhouse Communications
chelsea@powerhousecomm.com
949-261-2216