Bonnie Mulligan
From the grocery store to the gym, juice bars have become a more popular sight in recent years. It’s easy to understand why: consumers want easy access to a delicious drink that feels like an indulgence but provides a host of health benefits. But knowing how to start a juice bar might not be as straightforward. Opening a juice bar requires a lot of preparation and skill. To get started, you’ll want to answer the following three questions.
- What sets our juice bar apart?
To open and successfully run a business of any kind, you’ll need to fulfill a specific need and maintain a special point of view. What’s unique about you and makes you stand out to potential customers? This could be the variety of juices you offer, the fact you source local produce whenever possible, or the nutritional knowledge your staff provides. It could also be the environment of your business itself, your target demographic, or even your product price point. Consider what boxes your business will tick and think about how you can market those unique selling points to customers. - What can we learn from our competition?
Given how popular juice bars are these days, it’s likely you’ll have at least a couple of competitors in your area. Rather than thinking about how you can beat these juice bars at their own game, you should try to understand what makes them popular (or, in some cases, not so successful). Do they have an amazing location but no foot traffic? Are they marketing masters? Is their process efficient, or can you see room for major improvements? Take both their successes and failures into account when developing your own business plan and learn as much as you can from them without directly stealing their ideas. Always strive to be an innovator. - What are our menu must-haves?
Before opening a juice bar , you’ll need to establish produce sources so that you can satisfy your customers’ needs. But you’ll also need to think about which flavors your customers seem to like best. For example, orange juice was the most popular juice option for Americans in 2015, with the average person drinking approximately 2.7 gallons that year. If you leave out some of the most in-demand flavors from your menu, you might alienate a big part of your target demographic. But you’ll also want to keep in mind that a boring menu won’t attract adventurous juice-lovers, either. Aim to create a balance between the beloved and the brand new, prioritizing your customers’ favorites while challenging them with new additions. This is also a great time to think about what kinds of commercial juice extractors you’ll need to accomplish your goals.
If you’re planning on opening a juice bar in the near future, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you. But remember: we’re here to help. For more information on our automatic juicers or to speak to one of our representatives, please contact us today. We’d be happy to assist you throughout your venture.