Nékter Juice Bar, a pioneering champion of the modern juice bar movement, has signed its largest Area Development agreement with 2ndHarvest LLC to open 30 restaurants during the next few years in existing markets of Florida and Tennessee and in two new markets, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Based in Miami, 2ndHarvest LLC plans to open its first Nékter Juice Bar in Florida by the end of Q1 2019.
The multi-state franchise agreement comes as Nékter Juice Bar continues to grow rapidly across the country. Now with 120 restaurants across 13 states, Nékter plans to open an additional 20 restaurants before the end of this year, with another 75 scheduled to open in 2019, and an additional 175 in varying stages of development.
“This record franchise agreement with 2ndHarvest LLC is a testament to Nékter Juice Bar’s growing leadership position within the juice bar category,” says Steve Schulze, co-founder and CEO, Nékter Juice Bar. “The partnership brings together two organizations that seek to make health and wellness accessible and affordable, with like-minded cultures that always put the consumer first. We look forward to working with the 2ndHarvest team to bring the Nékter Life to more communities across the country.”
Based in Miami, 2ndHarvest is led by three fitness and wellness industry veterans, Gerry Norman, Jon Norman and C.J. Bouchard. Bouchard is the current COO of Excel Fitness Holdings, which controls more than 60 Planet Fitness locations in Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Virginia. Previously, he was an operating partner of 17 Planet Fitness locations in North Carolina and a co-owner of Zaniac Learning Center also in North Carolina. Jon and Gerry Norman were successful Planet Fitness franchisee owners in Miami, Florida.
“Nékter Juice Bar continues to disrupt and evolve a category that had veered from a 100 percent authentic experience,” adds Bouchard. “The brand continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to offering a truly healthy dining option that both educates and inspires its guests to incorporate balance and wellness into their lives. We look forward to being a part of Steve’s vision to make Nékter Juice Bar the leading juice bar brand in the country.”
Since its founding in 2010, Nékter has set itself apart with a solid track record of menu innovation built around ingredient integrity, functional nutrition and delicious flavor profiles.
Today, Nékter offers a proprietary selection of freshly made, clean and nutritious juices, Superfood smoothies, acai bowls, and Skoop, a decadent and healthy, 100 percent vegan frozen treat. Guests on the go can also choose among a variety of cold-pressed bottled juices and other healthy snacks.