Nékter Juice Bar

Nékter Juice Bar Prepares for Growth: This award-winning health-focused brand is ready to expand nationwide.

Founded upon a promise to reinvent a restaurant category that had lost its way, Nékter Juice Bar continues to shine as the clear leader and pioneer of the modern juice bar experience, a $2 billion industry that shows no signs of slowing down. Since 2010, Nékter Juice Bar has been a catalyst for change among juice bar concepts, vowing ingredient integrity and authenticity across its menu of entirely fresh and clean juices, smoothies, açaí bowls and other healthy snacks. As a result, the award-winning brand’s success continues to accelerate with more than $100 million in systemwide sales, 150 more restaurants in development, and the category’s highest average unit volume (AUV) of $837,263*. 

Known for its freshly-made juices, smoothies, and açaí bowls, Nékter Juice Bar’s focus on eliminating unhealthy and unnatural ingredients has set it apart from other juice bar concepts. With no refined sugars, no artificial flavors, and no processed ingredients, the brand delivers on its health-focused mission.

“With an unwavering commitment to ingredient transparency, authenticity, and innovation, Nékter Juice Bar is rooted in the fundamental philosophy that ‘healthy’ can taste great, be easily accessible, and be affordable too,” says Steve Schulze, co-founder and CEO of the brand.

The growing brand has received multiple awards and honors as a leader and innovator in the juice bar space, including recognition on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 and Inc. Magazine’s 5,000 Fastest-Growing Private Company List in 2015 and 2016. 

“We’ve essentially disrupted and redefined the juice bar experience,” says Steve Schulze, co-founder and CEO, Nékter Juice Bar. “While other concepts are just now talking about eliminating unhealthy or unnatural ingredients, our menu has always been 100 percent fresh and clean with the added bonus of being incredibly delicious. And really, we’ve just begun.”

Nékter’s popularity among its guests has also translated into an overwhelming response from the franchise community. In 2016, Nékter launched a nationwide franchising initiative to grow to 425 restaurants by 2020 and is well on its way as it prepares to open 75 restaurants in eight states this year. Today, over 80 percent of Nékter’s franchisees own multiple units, demonstrating the brand’s value promise and solid return on investment. 

“We have backgrounds of all types, from first-time business owners to multi-unit operators,” Schulze says. “As we grow, we continue to seek entrepreneurs and leaders who share our passion for making a positive change and inspiring healthy lifestyles in their communities while enjoying industry-leading financial rewards as well.”

Prospective franchisees are required to have $100,000 available in liquid assets and should have $500,000 net worth. Franchise fees for the brand are $35,000. New opportunities are now available nationwide. As consumers grow increasingly health-conscious, Nékter’s ongoing dedication to serving a freshly-made menu, built on ingredient transparency, makes it a prime target for franchisees.

Additionally, the brand offers low startup costs for its award-winning store design and provides assistance with highly targeted real estate site selection. Franchisees also have access to a full collection of digital marketing programs and tools, as well as a state-of-the-art online ordering and loyalty app with an advanced CRM system and segmentation capabilities. 

As part of onboarding support, the brand also provides 80 hours of hands-on leadership training in a training store and 19 hours of classroom training at the support center. Franchisees also receive opening and ongoing support at all stores.