I'm considering opening a raw food juice bar/cafe sort of thing. ALot of juices/blends and takeout salads, wraps, raw cookies and such. I do NOT want to be another Jamba or Keva juice place where everything is loaded w/ dairy and frozen yogurt concoctions. People have pointed out that I will need to "cut" the juices with something in order to keep prices reasonable. Any advice on this? I thought frozen bananas, nut milk cubes, or soy milk cubes would/could take place of frozen yogurts for a truely healthy frozen smoothie type of thing. I want to use all organic produce,so I know I need to tailor the menu pricing around this. Anyone have experience in this type of business and want to spill info, I would really appreciate it. I am located in Colorado Springs and the market here seems quite ready for something like the concept I'm thinking of. Thanks-

Dafodil

Dafodil -
I am on the verge of creating a similar enterprise and so I have some of the same questions.
I guess the place to start is to check out what kind of prices you can get based on volume. with those prices you can start to get a business plan together...
the reality is that people are willing to pay more for organic and prepared organic foods, so put the price at what you need to cover expenses ...
I'm nut much of a business person, but that's where I would start.

Cut the juices?

Maybe use carrot as the base since you can get massive bulk carrots very cheap...and they produce a lot of juice? Get in touch with local farmers and get the fresh food thats already reasonably priced. Grow your own if you can. Nut milk cubes sound better than yogurt or soy, which I would not buy...

Trust people enjoy quality and love. If you buil dit, they really will come.

There is a juice bar Athens on south beach an dthey only juice fruits and veggies. They even have a coconut mylk press. The business is phenomenal. I think the only fake stuff they have is whey protein.

you don't ever want to cut vegetable juice with water. you also wouldn't be able to throw carrots into everything either because people are going to have particular requests.

Why not try to get the absolute best quality freshest produce and really stand out in the area? Most 'juice bars' are part of health stores that make money off supplements and 'health foods' and the jamba-juice model will always win in the low price/bulk model because they are franchised.

make a business that you would want to go eat at (drink at whatever) every day because it isn't (insert other thing). make deals with high-integrity companies. If you have better papayas then any grocery store in the area, and you have your own quirky little home-made gourmet treats (perhaps some on the cacao/goji whatever side spectrum and some possibly even on the low-fat), thats probably enough to get some buzz with the dedicated and the uninitiated.

so basically it will be difficult profiting of the juicer part of the business unless you have TONS of customers. but trying to skim off that in quality or making up the difference selling less than healthful things has already been explored I'd say

Just my opinions. I have NO business experience just observations

there is another post here recently (might even be on this page) about cutting expenses.

I have been to a couple raw eateries around this area. One time I paid like $6 for a "green juice" that was loaded mostly with carrots and celery (even tho there were a lot of other ingredients in the drink on the menu I wanted to be able to have the opportunity of tasting). I was a little dissapointed. =(

I just make my own food now.

I think places like that introduce a lot of people to 100% raw food meals, so I think it might be important to make it as fresh and yummy as possible.

I don't know what your take is on coconuts, but maybe u can make juices with coconut milk or banana?

Pre raw I used to go to this japanese tea house where they served cold drinks in really fancy clear cups and colorful straws and stuff. Everything was quite a presentation. I think it added like yumminess x9 to everything.

I have been to places, and asked for watermelon juice and I see they sneak some bottled apple juice in. I get so upset. Water would be better

Oh suvine i know what you mean...if i go to jamba juice with my girls i watch i get fresh squeezed oj with banana's and sometimes they don't use the fresh squeezed and i will ask after knowing they didn't just squeeze them i watched haha..or they will throw things in there...i am like HELLO...and they deny it but i have tell i saw you didn't juice...do you want to argue?? and it is like oh well they juice some oranges and get it right haha...
glad i am not the only one they don't understand either...they think juice is juice is juice...
love earth angel
xoxoxoxoxoxxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

A few weeks ago I was at a juice bar and a young hottie was making my juice and the carrots were old and wilted, the celery was brown and wilted, and I'm like, " would you eat that brown wilted celery or those old wilted carrots?" He said, "no". I said, "I'll pass on the juice then". You gotta get up pretty early in the morning to fool me!

I think if you buy in quantity and get your produce as much as you can from local farmers that you wouldn't be losing money. It's how much can you purchase in bulk that helps you save money.

I don't know why you can't use distilled water, or spring water in your fruit/veggie juices. I use is sometimes in my fruit smoothies just to help it blend and it doesn't come out too thick. You can make smaller portioned sizes too if you want to have all fruits/veggies and charge as much as needed for profit..people will pay for quality especially for if it's healh consious people.

Sell a lot of double wheatgrass shots with a chaser of fresh orange carrot juice.

Love,
Prism

I think it is a great idea. I have thought about doing something similar in the past, but there just isn't enough people in my area that are into "alternative health" to make it profitable.

Just started my rawfood journey and blogging daily about it here: [journeyforhealth.blogspot.com]