Jamba wants to reclaim its heritage as a beverage innovator.
So says Jamba Chief Brand Officer Nathan Louer about the nearly 35-year-old smoothie chain, which is part of the seven-brand portfolio of parent company GoTo Foods.
At a time when consumers are looking for more in the way of interesting non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, Jamba is hoping to ride the wave with a new brand positioning dubbed “Hello Sunshine.”
The new initiative will include a series of new additions to the menu, starting with two flavors coming in September that will be something Jamba has never had before:
Blended coffee.
Coffee is one of those things that has been on and off the menu at Jamba over the years in “fits and starts,” said Louer. There’s a cold brew iced beverage on the menu now, for example.
But the new blended coffees are more in Jamba’s “smoothie wheelhouse,” he said.
The flavors, which launch nationwide on Sept. 10, include Coffee Dream Machine, which blends frozen coffee with sweet vanilla; and Buzzin’ Mocha Moo’d, which blends coffee and chocolate. Both are priced at $2.99 in a one-day promotion (after that the suggested price is $6.99, though it may vary), and both are made with 2% milk, but can be swapped with non-dairy options, like almond, soy or oat milk. Guests can also add coconut whip, whey or soy protein, zinc or an energy boost.
The new drinks will be previewed in a Sunrise Smoothie Tour at locations along the California coast, in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego Sept. 6-8.
Louer said these are among the first in a line of new menu items coming this year, including seasonal pumpkin smoothies, new Refreshers and more in the way of snacks and bites designed to encourage guests to come to Jamba for meal replacement.
“We really want to own being a beverage concept, and that’s something Jamba has the right to do,” said Louer.
But at the same time, he added, “we have a lot further to go in creating a brand that people can use for more meal occasions.”
Beyond the menu, the Hello Sunshine brand positioning will be more than a tagline. “It’s a state of mind,” said Louer.
Guests will see a return to sampling, for example, and not just in stores. The brand will be getting out to community and office events to offer samples to remind consumers about the taste and everyday value at Jamba.
“You’ll see a lot more from Jamba on bringing it to the masses,” said Louer.
At a recent National Smoothie Day event, the chain offered $1 smoothies and sold more than 300,000 on that day alone.
The chain has 730 units domestically, and about 60 international locations. Roughly 40 Jamba units are co-branded with sister brand Auntie Anne’s pretzels, and some are tri-branded with Cinnabon.
Sales at Jamba last year were $513 million, up 1% from the prior year, with an average unit volume of $698,000, according to Restaurant Business sister brand Technomic.
Jamba, however, has a long way to catch up to competitor Tropical Smoothie Café, which saw sales reach $1.2 billion in 2023, a more than 16% increase over the prior year, with an AUV of $980,000. Tropical Smoothie, however, has a broader menu that includes more salads, sandwiches and wraps.
UPDATE: This article has been updated to clarify the price of the blended coffees.
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