Jamba–Yogen Früz agreement expands cross-brandingJamba–Yogen Früz agreement expands cross-branding

Lisa Jennings

The Jamba Juice smoothie chain and Canadian-born Yogen Früz are expanding their ongoing cross-branding relationship with a licensing agreement that aims to build daypart business.

Yogen Früz officials said Tuesday the company has signed a licensing agreement with Emeryville, Calif.-based Jamba Juice. The agreement gives the 746-unit smoothie chain the right to use the Yogen Früz operating system and trademarks as it rolls out a frozen yogurt line.

In turn, Yogen Früz is the master franchisee of the Jamba Juice brand in Canada. The first Canadian Jamba Juice location is scheduled to open in Toronto this week.

“We have the same customers, and we can give them the best of frozen yogurt and the best of smoothies,” said Aaron Serruya, Yogen Früz president and chief executive. “It’s a nice way for specialty companies to complement each other and get the customers to visit twice in the same day.”

Jamba Juice’s ties to Yogen Früz have been developing over the past few years.

With more than 1,200 locations in 35 countries, Yogen Früz was founded in 1986 by brothers Aaron and Michael Serruya. In 2009, the Serruya family made a $15.45 million investment in Jamba Juice parent Jamba Inc. Michael Serruya also is on the smoothie chain’s board.

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Last year, Jamba Juice began testing a new line of frozen yogurt called Whirl’ns. Although the yogurt base is different than that of Yogen Früz, Whirl’ns use the same equipment, which allows for a custom blend of fresh fruit into the soft-serve product.

Jamba Juice now offers yogurt in 157 California locations and plans to continue to expand the product’s availability, officials said.

Under the terms of the agreement with Yogen Früz, Jamba Juice locations can promote the yogurt as “Powered by Yogen Früz” in customer-facing materials, Aaron Serruya said.

“It’s really more about the process and systems we use,” Serruya said. “We’ve gotten them to the point where they can wear the Yogen Früz brand.”

Serruya said the goal is to help Jamba build business during later dayparts, when smoothies may not be top of mind.

The move also will build brand awareness in the United States for Yogen Früz, which now has about 72 outlets across the country, including about 13 in AMC Theater locations.

Serruya said he also plans to test the sale of Jamba Juice products in Yogen Früz locations in Canada, to build awareness for that brand there.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].
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