Business View Magazine | August 2020

83 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020 CLEAN JUI CE center-of-plate type option. “We also rolled out a program that we call our Buy & Blend program, which came out of COVID-19. This is a program we put together in less than 36 hours. We realized that people were staying home. So, we put together this program that’s an opportunity for guests to come in and buy five smoothies that are not blended. They buy the frozen ingredients; they get some almond milk; they can take it home and blend it. So, we’re really ahead of the curve in what our guests are looking for. I think our Buy & Blend program and rolling out our toasts and wraps have been two big homeruns in the last couple of months. “Another thing that has really changed over the last couple of years is our relationships with our vendors. When you first start franchising, you’re really trying to figure out what works, what doesn’t, who’s a good partner, who’s not. I have approved and required vendors. One of the required vendors I have is a group called growing despite one of the worst pandemics we’ve ever seen. Currently, we’re in 23 states; by the end of the year, we’ll probably be in 25 or 26 states. We started in Charlotte, North Carolina, so the southeast is the main area where our locations are. But we have quite a few locations in Texas; we’re also in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nebraska; so, we’re coast-to-coast. “There have also been changes to our organic product line. When we started, we were just juice and smoothies and acai bowls. It’s not just juice anymore – it is a healthy one-stop shop for everyone. Once a year, we go through a menu re-engineering. Over the past couple of seasons, our ‘bites’ menu has expanded; we have a robust toast line, now. We also rolled out what we call Greenoa Bowls, which is our version of a salad – it’s a mix of greens and grain. Just recently, we launched toasted wraps, a heartier organic option, system-wide, and it’s had immediate success. So, we’ve really expanded our offerings from just juice and smoothies into more of a