Nékter Juice Bar to add food to menuNékter Juice Bar to add food to menu

Nékter Juice Bar is adding a line of healthful, grab-and-go food options to its juice-focused menu amid a brand evolution that includes mobile ordering and payment, and a new prototype design.

Steve Schulze, cofounder, president and chief executive of Santa Ana, Calif.-based Nékter, envisions a national brand that will compete with established smoothie operators like Jamba Juice, Juice It Up! and Smoothie King, which are battling to capture the trendy juicing crowd.

Nékter is positioning itself as a healthful fresh-juice concept that will soon offer a line of high-protein, low-calorie and low-sodium breakfast and lunch items.

“The traditional juice and smoothie bars are out there, but it’s clear we’re the next iteration,” Schulze said. “We’re all about fresh. We believe fresh is going to outsell anything.”

While “cleanse diets” — consuming nothing but juice for several days — could be seen as a fad, juice is evolving as a healthful lifestyle choice, Schulze said.

“I think juice is in its infancy,” he said. “Freshness is going to be a key component in 2015. Offering healthy alternatives that are affordable and accessible is the space to be in.”

Many juice chains have focused on bottled, cold-pressed juices, which Schulze contends have become a commodity. “No one’s identified themselves as the Coke or Pepsi of juice, but they will,” he said.

Nékter will continue to offer bottled juices for convenience, he said. But the concept focuses on fresh beverages made to order, along with a new lineup of raw and precooked salads, breakfast bowls and other snacks made in house.

“When someone comes in in the morning, they might get a green juice and then pick up a grab-and-go salad for lunch,” Schulze said. Prices will range from about $3.75 for breakfast items to $6.75 for a salad.

Convenience and speed of service is key for busy customers, who tend to see juice as a quick meal-replacement option, Schulze said.

By the end of January, Nékter plans to launch a new mobile app that will allow guests to order and pay ahead, as well as track rewards through the brand’s loyalty program.

In addition, Nékter plans to roll out two juice trucks in 2015, which will travel around the western U.S. for events and promotions.

With these updates also comes a new prototype design that will grow the juice bar’s traditional 1,200-square-foot unit to 1,400 square feet to 1,600 square feet, to accommodate additional seating and room for food preparation.

New 2.0 design. Photo courtesy of Nékter Juice Bar

The original Nékter location in Costa Mesa, Calif., was renovated in November with the expanded footprint. It doubled in size with a modern farmhouse design, community tables and outdoor space that encourages dine-in business.

The chain will soon reach 50 units, with the 49th location scheduled to open in early January. The four-year-old concept now operates in five western states, with another 15 company-owned units planned for 2015.

Nékter has also been experimenting with franchising. In 2012, five units were sold to franchise operators. The chain includes one licensed unit at the University of Southern California.

More franchising may come in 2015, but Schulze said the goal is to remain primarily company owned and to get systems firmly in place. “Until our systems are tight, we don’t want to franchise,” he said.

Nékter units average about $900 per square foot in sales. Same-store sales rose about 6.5 percent in 2014, compared with 2013, Schulze said.

The average ticket is just under $10, and has increased by about 15 cents per year. The rollout of more food options is expected to add to the average check. Juice lovers also tend to be regular visitors, stopping in to Nékter locations about 15 times per month, Schulze said.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].
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