Jamba Juice eyes packaged smoothies, ‘Fender Blender’ satellitesJamba Juice eyes packaged smoothies, ‘Fender Blender’ satellites

Lisa Jennings

EMERYVILLE Calif. Jamba Juice is planning to introduce a ready-to-drink retail product that company officials said would "create 24/7 access" to the smoothie brand.

In an investor presentation Tuesday, Jamba Inc. president and chief executive Paul Clayton also said the company would try to expand accessibility to the brand by testing a mobile unit called the "Fender Blender" at sporting and other events.

"Accessibility is one of our strategies for building frequency," he said.

Clayton did not elaborate on the ready-to-drink product, a prepackaged Jamba Juice smoothie that would likely be available in grocery or convenience stores. He said the company would release more information on the strategy later this year.

This month, the company began testing a breakfast menu in New York and Los Angeles, including "meal-in-a-cup" options such as chunky smoothies, yogurt blends and granola toppers. Breakfast currently accounts for about 18 percent of sales, but company officials say that could be higher.

The Jamba chain includes 645 units, about two-thirds of which are company-owned.