Clean Juice, the first and only USDA-certified organic juice and food bar franchise, announced the opening of its fifth store in California courtesy of new owner and Franchise Partner Mendi Bartell. The Dana Point store celebrates its grand opening at 34201 Street of the Amber Lantern in the Prado West Development shopping and residential plaza off the famed Pacific Coast Highway.
The highly anticipated store opening in the community is built on the brand’s award-winning reputation and Bartell’s unrelenting energy as a well-respected community leader, conservationist, and entrepreneurial ambassador. Bartell is also an Ambassador of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center and serves on the Board of Directors of Stand Up to Trash, an organization that will benefit as a portion of sales from the grand opening week will be donated.
“I am super excited to open the doors of Clean Juice in Dana Point, bringing the power and value of this brand to its residents and millions of tourists who visit annually,” says Bartell. “Clean Juice is the perfect concept for this oceanfront paradise filled with health-minded, eco-conscience people. With so many outdoor activities at the beach or on the ocean, people now have access to food with an exceptionally high nutritional value that is delicious and healthy for you that they can take with them whether it’s a dolphin and whale tour, watching a surfing competition, or just relaxing on the beach.”
Known as the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World, Dana Point receives millions of tourists yearly for its beautiful climate, world-class beaches, surfing competitions, and abundant marine life observational activities. Bartell aims to be the go-to fast-casual option for people who want to consume all organic food and beverage options while on the go.
“I believe in this product and the company’s core values which were further validated when Clean Juice announced Tim Tebow as its National Brand Ambassador and his subsequent openings of two stores in Florida. Having Tim behind this brand speaks volumes, and I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of,” adds Bartell.
Bartell’s venture into fast-casual restaurant entrepreneurism is her first. Still, she is no stranger to the operational structure, having sold franchises for Coldwell Banker and Uniglobe Travel International. Before her current venture with Clean Juice, Mendi built a successful, 20+ year career with Verizon Business in various roles, from National Account Manager to Enterprise Client Partner, Acquisition.
Unlike most Franchise Partners who fall in love with the brand’s flavors and cleaning living lifestyle before endeavoring into franchising, Mendi approached Clean Juice with a business-first mindset, followed strongly by a strong faith in her ability to make Clean Juice a local favorite for the people of Dana Point.
“I knew the Clean Juice brand and model would perfectly fit Dana Point and its year-round activities. My first taste of the food at the Yorba Linda location was an incredible experience. Having learned so much about the brand, its philosophy, and its business model before tasting the food, I knew I was in for a treat. I tasted nearly every food category Clean Juice offers during my first visit,” adds Bartell.
Clean Juice continues to receive a steady flow of development leads and discovery calls from existing Franchise Partners and new prospects who want to bring healthy, organic fast casual food options to their communities. Clean Juice has more than 200 store units since it began franchising in 2016.
