Purchasing Equipment & Supplies For Your Smoothie Business
Once you’ve decided what type of smoothie bar to open, you’ll have to think about how you’ll outfit the space. No smoothie shop can function without the necessary equipment and supplies.
If you’re going with a truck, the cost of customer seating will be zero. Furnishings are also kept to a minimum with a kiosk or food court stand. If you’re going to operate out of a brick-and-mortar building, you’ll need restaurant furniture such as seating, lighting, fixtures, and decor to make your smoothie bar welcoming and accessible.
However your business is set up, you’ll likely need serveware and flatware, cups and lids, as well as ways to keep it all organized.
If you’re strictly doing smoothies, the smallware you’ll need will be less extensive than if you were also offering food items. At minimum, you’ll need drinking straws and paper napkins.
If food will be served, you’ll also need to-go bags and take-out containers, as well as disposable cutlery and food trays.
No matter the size of your smoothie shop, you’ll need blenders and ice makers.
If you want to add food selections to your menu options, you’ll need cooking equipment for that, as well. and business management tools will also be required, regardless of the configuration you choose.
Real Estate Showcase And Smoothie Bar
Many of our juice bar ideas mix refreshment bars with businesses that involve talking to a lot of people. This is because people come in when theres food.
Thus, if you are a real estate broker who seeks to expand his or her network, a smoothie bar would be the perfect place to meet people in their late 30s and early 40s. So own one and make it the best place ever.
Obtain Permits And Licenses
Obtaining permits and licenses is the first step to starting your own juice shop. You need to get a business license, a food service license, and an employee identification number before you can open for business.
The US Small Business Administration provides a good overview of what you need to do in order to start your own juice shop. The website includes information on how to obtain permits and licenses, how much they cost, and what they are used for.
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A Cup Of Smoothie + Inspiration
Remember those moments when you are working on a project, and you suddenly run out of ideas? Its always an excellent choice to go out and find refreshments. Therefore, a smoothie bar that offers low-sugar drinks, and has an inspiring atmosphere is the perfect place to go. Create a homey atmosphere with beautiful things: flowers, baskets, bikes, old books, framed quotes, handsome wood furnishings, treasure chest boxes, the list goes on.
Looking for inspiration? Check out Japanese coffee shops on IG.
What Is A Juice Bar
A juice bar is a shop that sells fruit and vegetable juices that are freshly squeezed on the premises. Most juice shops occupy a small footprint because they don’t require a full kitchen or a seating area. Kiosks, juice carts, and juice food trucks are all popular models for a juice and smoothie shop. The rising popularity of healthy juices and the low start-up cost make juice shops an appealing business venture.
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How Much Money Do You Need To Start A Juice & Smoothie Bar
The cost of starting a juice and smoothie bar largely depends on the location. There are some factors that you need to take into account like the rent, utilities, and other operational costs.
The cost of opening up a juicing store is not cheap. It can be anywhere from $20,000 to $250,000. The higher price is not necessarily reflective of the quality of your juicer stand but rather the location and how much rent you will have to pay for it.
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Offer Programs & Cleanses
In addition to individual made-to-order juices, consider selling pre-set kits or programs. Cleanses are especially popular during spring and summer months, and in January with New Year health-related resolutions. Other customers simply enjoy drinking fresh or cold-pressed juice each day, and want to buy a pack to take home. You can boost sales by offering packs and cleanses either made to order, or prepackaged in a display refrigerator.
Should You Rest Your Smoothies
Letting a smoothie sit tends to make it less frothy, but some smoothies willseparate quickly. For example, almost every green smoothie separates into a layer of green juice atop a chunky greenmixture after a few minutes.
Others fare better from resting. Anything with a lot of light or frothyingredients, or a lot of air whipped up into them, applies.
If youre in a rush, prepare the ingredients beforehand by chopping andmeasuring them. Start only when youre ready to eat! You can store ingredientsor even storesmoothies overnight in the fridge, if youre preparing for an earlymorning!
A thick smoothie can last in the fridge up to 24 hours while retaining itsflavor and texture. Thinner smoothies may separate before then. We prefer todrink immediately, though grabbing a drink prepared the night before is almostas good. To store a smoothie in the fridge, pour it into a tightly sealedcontainer such as a Mason jar. Unless you have a tight, screw-on lid for yourblender bottle, dont botheryoull get better flavor and have an easiertime cleaning up if you store it in something else.
In a pinch, you can put plastic wrap over the top of a glass.
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Developing The Marketing Plan For A Juice Bar
Once you’ve completed all of the above steps, the next step in our guide on how to open a juice bar is developing a carefully devised marketing plan. The objective of a marketing plan is simple: to attract and retain customers.
So consider first the actions that will allow you to make your juice bar known and create hype around its opening, whether it’s a paid ad in the local newspaper or a provocative social media campaign.
You’ll have to think about ways to build customer loyalty when opening your juice bar. Creating a loyalty card scheme is a great way to turn one-time customers into regulars, and creating a website is a great way to showcase the different types of juices you have on offer, as well as any promotions on that week.
You could also consider setting up a click and collect system, whereby customers can order online and pick up a juice or snack in-store. This sort of scheme would work well amongst nearby office workers or students.
The costs of these actions vary and some might be more successful at attracting customers than others, so take some time to test different marketing actions out and focus on the ones that prove to be the most effective.
The Rules And Regulations Of Operating A Juice Bar
Next in our guide on how to open a juice bar is checking out the regulations in force.
If you decide you’d like to serve food to accompany your juices, there are several requirements you’ll need to satisfy around health and safety. Before opening your juice bar, you’ll have to register the premises with your local authority’s environmental health service at least 28 days before you start trading.
It’s important to note that this process doesn’t cost any money. It simply involves allowing a local official to visit your premises to check out the space you’ll be using to prepare food and ensure it’s safe and hygienic.
After each inspection, you’ll receive a Food Hygiene Rating which, depending on your location, you may need to display in public view. To register for a visit from your local authority, check out the UK Government website.
It’s likely you’ll also want to play a bit of music to set the right atmosphere to open your juice bar. If so, you’ll need to apply for a music license when starting your juice. You can obtain one from the PLS PRS, with the price set depending on the size and needs of your business.
In the US, you will be required to register for a business license, as well as a food service license and a food handler’s permit. You can visit the SBA website for more details on how to obtain these.
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Market Your Juice Bar & Get Feedback
Your juice business should market its juice bar as much as possible to establish a juice bar branding strategy, attract customers and generate buzz about the business in your local community. It is also a good idea to have sample days where customers can try some juice before they buy it.
Routinely ask for customer feedback about your juice bar menu, juice recipes, and juice flavors. Be sure to implement any changes based on this feedback to keep customers coming back.
How Do I Start A Smoothie Business From Home
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Create A Welcoming Environment
Similar to coffee shops, many juice bars encourage customers to sit down and stay a while, whether they are working on their laptops or chatting with friends. The more time customers spend in your store, the more money they will spend on your products. Make sure you have plenty of comfortable seating, play gentle music, and offer free Wi-Fi.
The more time customers spend in your juice bar, the more they will spend
How To Store Leftover Smoothie
If you make a smoothie and find that you have some leftover, by all means store it for later!
To Refrigerate: You can place leftovers in small lidded jars, filling all the way to the brim, and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours in most cases. Blend the smoothie again before serving.
To Freeze: Pour the leftover smoothie into ice cube trays, and freeze. Then pack the smoothie ice cubes into a zip-top bag. . Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible before you seal it. Freeze for up to 3 months. Serve the smoothie again by giving it a quick blend!
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Build A Juice Bar Branding Strategy
To successfully open a juice bar business, you will also need a branding strategy and marketing plan. Youll want to develop a logo, color scheme, and a plan for attracting customers to your business. For most local stores, effective marketing strategies involve a combination of digital and offline tactics. But the basics include designing a logo and creating a website.
Apply For Licensing And Insurance
Opening a juice and smoothie bar requires a business license and license for selling food products. This is also a good time to apply for a tax identification number, business banking account and liability insurance. Ask your local health department for a checklist of items theyll be looking for during your initial inspection, such as refrigerator temperatures.
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How To Make A Smoothie Bowl
Smoothie bowls are a big food trend on Instagramand for good reason. They’re as beautiful as they are delicious. Who could resist an edible artist’s canvas?
Here’s how to make a smoothie bowl that will earn oodles of “likes”:
- Blend the easy smoothie recipe as directed above, following the thicker smoothie instructions. Pour into a bowl instead of a glass.
Now that you’re well-versed on how to make a smoothie at home, you can BYOB for a new healthy snack or meal replacement any day of the week.
Step : Open A Business Bank Account & Credit Card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Additionally, learning how to build business credit can help you get and other financing in your business’s name , better interest rates, higher lines of credit, and more.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Open net 30 accounts
Net 30 accounts are used to establish and build business credit as well as increase business cash flow. With a net 30 account, businesses buy goods and repay the full balance within a 30-day term.
NetMany net 30 credit vendors report to the major business credit bureaus . This is how businesses build business credit so they can qualify for credit cards and other lines of credit.
Recommended: Read our best net 30 vendors, guide and start building business credit.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from Divvy and build your business credit quickly.
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Develop A Juice Bar Business Plan
Spend time making a proper juice bar business plan. If you dont have a business plan, theres no way of knowing if opening a juice bar is profitable or even feasible in your area.
Your business plan should include detailed information about the juice recipes, juice ingredients, and equipment needed for starting up the juice bar. It should also contain financial projections regarding start-up costs, current expenses, and projected growth over the next few years.
Procure Your Equipment And Stockpile Non
At Juice Generation and at home, Helms uses the super powerful, professional-grade BlendTech blender, but to kick start your own smoothie-ready kitchen, Helms recommends grabbing the moderately priced, storage-friendly, NutriBullet.
The NutriBullet is a perfect start. Its inexpensive and has a little power to it, he says. And, with smoothies, you are working with frozen fruits so you need something a little more powerful. Bonus? They have a removable lid that makes them a breeze to clean.
Next up: The ingredients. Your first instinct might be to hit the produce aisle, but to make sure that you don’t buy up tons of fruit and then have it all go bad, opt instead for non-perishable items to be the base of your smoothie. Probably like a lot of New Yorkers, I work a lot and have a lot going on, so I dont always have time to run to the market for fresh produce, he says. I always like having a lot of non-perishable items like nut butters, seeds, and dry goods that are always there. His top picks: pistachios, figs, and dates for a little bit of sweetness.
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Obtain Permits And Licenses For Your Juice Shop
Before your juice bar can open for business, youll need to obtain several permits and licenses at the federal, state, and local levels. Enlisting the help of legal counsel ensures you wont miss a step when filing for new permits.
- Business License – Every new business needs a business license to operate legally in the US. Each state has its own business license requirements.
- Employee Identification Number – You need an Employee Identification Number to start hiring employees and set up your payroll. The application process can be lengthy, so start working on this one right away.
- Foodservice License – To legally serve food, youll need a foodservice business license. This requires an inspection that shows your business meets food safety protocols.
Learn more about foodservice permits in our restaurant licenses guide.
What Are The Key Segments Of The Juice Bar Industry
The juice and smoothie bars industry can be broken down into the following sectors:
- Smoothie Bars: These smoothie shops primarily serve smoothies, juice blends, and similar drinks. They do not typically sell juice by the glass but offer juice for sale by the bottle or carton. Some smoothie bars also make juice and smoothies for on-site consumption, at high speeds to meet high demand. These juices are blended with plant ingredients that include cucumbers, kale, carrots, beets, wheatgrass juice, and fruits. These shops will often sell some food items on their menu options.
- Juice Bars: These juice stores sell juice drinks made from fresh juice squeezed on-site or juice drinks bottled by juice companies. They typically sell juice by the glass and juice for on-site consumption, but they do not offer smoothies on their menu options.
- Fruit Bowls and Small Bites: These juice stores serve juice drinks made with juice or juice concentrates, but they also sell milk and other beverages. They typically offer light snacks like fruit salads, pita sandwiches, wraps, yogurt cups, bananas on a stick, etc.
If youd like to quickly and easily complete your business plan, and complete your business plan and financial model in hours.
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