Emerald City Smoothie Rebrands Image, Maintains Healthy Recipes To Satisfy Niche

As more Americans strive to lead healthier and active lifestyles, busy schedules make it a struggle for adults and kids to eat right. Grocery store shelves are filled with chalky protein shakes and sugary energy bars dubbed as convenient “meal alternatives” for active people. However, these options often leave consumers unfulfilled, because of their high fat and sugar contents and poor taste. Emerald City Smoothie, a health and fitness concept offering nutritious and delicious meal replacement smoothies, is setting a new standard in the quick-service smoothie industry dedicated to helping consumers lead healthier lifestyles. The Washington based Franchise recently announced plans for aggressive expansion throughout the U.S.

Best known for their delicious smoothies custom blended to fit customers tastes and nutrition goals, the company has experienced great success throughout Washington, and is set to launch an aggressive new branding strategy and expansion plan across the U.S. With 28 stores currently open, the company expects to have more than 300 stores by the end of 2008.

Launched in 1996, the Emerald City Smoothie concept was built around two passions - great tasting smoothies and helping people achieve their health goals. In early 2005, Jim Baskett, a sales executive at a national resort company and a loyal Emerald City Smoothie customer, purchased the company with six other executives to reinvent the brand and take it national. Baskett, now executive vice president of business development for Emerald City Smoothie, believed in the concept, loved their products, and saw an opportunity to take it national. With the same recipes and a new management team, direction and redesigned logo, the company’s culture is being rejuvenated to focus on customers and helping them reach their lifestyle goals.

“Emerald City Smoothie is a unique niche built on a lifestyle of health and fitness,” Baskett said. “Our franchise owners have a passion for living healthy lifestyles and want to help their customers do the same.”

Not Your Average Smoothie

While many consumers consider smoothies to be a healthy alternative to milkshakes, sodas and ice creams, most smoothie companies offer novelty beverages that are full of sugars and fats, using fruit juices and ice creams for their beverage base. Filled with empty calories, these products often have little or no nutritional value. Unlike other smoothie “snack” concepts, Emerald City Smoothie offers fresh and healthy products that are not only nutritious but taste great. Using fresh fruit ingredients, primarily strawberries and bananas as a base, the products have very high nutritional values. Customers can get all the vitamins and minerals in one Emerald City Smoothie as they would in a complete well-balanced meal. Compared to other smoothies that can add up to 1,000 calories, most regular-sized Emerald City Smoothie products have less than 400 calories and four grams of fat. Further, the company uses an innovative blending technique that prevents the formation of ice pockets, a problem that causes separation and makes many smoothies not drinkable after a few hours. Emerald City Smoothies are just as good to enjoy a few hours after they’ve been made as they are immediately after blending.

Some of Emerald City Smoothie’s most popular items include the Lean Out, Rejuvenator, Berry Berry and Mocha Bliss. Available in 16, 24 and 32 oz sizes, the smoothies can be enjoyed as a filling meal replacement or a substantial snack between meals. Larger sized smoothies enjoyed as a meal supplement will fill customers up for up to 4 hours, making it a convenient alternative for busy people. Additionally, several supplemental options such as fat burners, weight gainers, muscle builders and immune boosters can be added to any smoothie to help customers reach their health and fitness goals. Prices range from $4.00-$4.50 for a regular-sized smoothie, making it an easy and affordable meal option for busy people.

What separates Emerald City Smoothie from other smoothie concepts is their passion for health and fitness and dedication to improving the lives of their customers. To further help their customers make more informed decisions, all locations display ingredients and nutritional information for the smoothies. The concept has earned a dedicated repeat customer base, with many clients coming back three to five times a week, as often as twice per day.

“Emerald City Smoothie blends fresh fruit, intense flavors and nutritional boosters into a smoothie that gives the taste reward without the guilt of high fat foods and the rewards of a ‘health drink’ without compromising on taste,” Baskett added. “Our customers come back because they love our smoothies. They taste great and are good for you. The customer loyalty level is incredible.”

A Healthy Investment Opportunity

With a franchise fee of $25,000, the initial investment to own and operate an Emerald City Smoothie franchise typically costs under $200,000 per 1,000-1,500 square foot store with working capital.

Prior to a location’s opening, new franchisees go through 40 hours of hands-on training at the company’s headquarters in Seattle where they learn about recipes, blending techniques, nutritional information, supplement products and health and safety. Following their visit to Seattle, a support team arrives onsite to oversee the entire launch process and train staff. Locations usually employ six to eight employees, and the corporate office helps new franchise owners define local demographics and provides marketing and advertising support. A point of sale system fully loaded with support materials is also provided, and ongoing assistance can be obtained via the Emerald City Smoothie intranet system.

Specifically geared toward busy individuals looking for healthful meal replacements and snacks, Emerald City Smoothie locations are strategically located in high traffic areas near health clubs and schools. Corporate areas and airport locations are also ideal for attracting busy professionals. With many locations currently situated in strip malls and strip centers, the company looks forward to opening more stand alone and eventually drive-through, mall and theater locations to attract a younger demographic.

“The Emerald City Smoothie store environment is relaxed and health focused,” Baskett added. “Employees are trained to engage with all customers, inquire about their health and fitness goals, and offer helpful information to help them reach their goals. It is a warm and welcoming atmosphere that keeps customers coming back.”

About Emerald City Smoothie

Emerald City Smoothie, a health and fitness company centered on offering nutritious and delicious meal replacement smoothies, focuses on helping their customers lead more healthy and active lifestyles. Since their launch in 1996, the company has taken steps to ensure that every location provides the same taste, quality, consistency and friendly service for all their customers. Whether looking to lose weight, build muscle, or just picking up a nutritious meal replacement, each smoothie helps to reach a health goal or a taste sensation.