Jamba Drops 'Juice' From Name But Not Its Plans to Grow
Jamba Juice rebranded in June to drop “juice” from the name to show that it has branched out from selling just smoothies.
Now, the franchise is taking the first big expansion step by building dual locations that blend smoothies, juices and healthy bowls with pretzels offered up by sister brand Auntie Anne’s.
Both brands will operate from one location, playing on a trend among fast food chains to put multiple stores under one roof. Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut led the way starting in the 1990s.
Dustin King with Atlanta-based SE Co-Brand Ventures has a 16-store franchise agreement with Focus Brands, which bought the smoothie chain a year ago. Many of them will be co-branded locations.
“Dustin has a long history with Focus Brands and we know that his expertise will help our brand grow in key markets,” Geoff Henry, Jamba’s president, said in a statement.
Atlanta-based Focus Brands’ portfolio includes Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Moe’s Southwest Grill and McAlister’s Deli. Jamba has more than 800 locations, while Auntie Anne’s has more than 1,800.
Changes to the 30-year-old Jamba brand reflect the competitive landscape in which new concepts have entered the market with similar products. As part of the shift, Jamba has been rolling out a new store design.
Millennials and Generation Z represent the target market. A traditional Jamba store averages 1,000 to 1,500 square feet. A drive-thru store is about 900 to 1,200 square feet. The co-branded stores occupy 900 to 1,500 square feet.
King has already opened the first four co-branded locations: Nashville, Tennessee; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Concord, North Carolina; and Pineville, North Carolina. He is set to open co-branded stores in Columbia, South Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee, this fall.
King’s family has been in the franchising business for many years. He has been operating Auntie Anne’s for the past decade. In all, he owns 35 Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon and Carvel stores around the country.
