We had the privilege of learning more about Jamba Juice, the leading healthy and active lifestyle brand in America, in our recent visit to Jamba Inc.’s headquarters in Emeryville, San Francisco.
I would like to share with you the 10 Interesting Things I Learned About Jamba Juice:
Did you know Jamba means “to Celebrate” in Swahili, which captures the fun and active nature of the brand?
1. Excitingly Healthy: What to Order in Jamba Juice
With Jamba Juice’s wide array of healthy offerings, it can get confusing at first on what to order. Jamba is popular for its signature fruit smoothies, but it recently introduced other healthy food like oatmeal, hot breakfast wraps and California flat breads.
Here are my favorites:
A. Five Fruit Frenzy – All Fruit Smoothie (just fruit and juice) with Blueberries, Strawberries, Bananas, Peaches, Mangoes, Mixed Berry Juice and Peach Juice. (Equivalent to 3.5 fruit servings.)
This smoothie was designed by Jamba Juice together with the National Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) of the US to provide a smoothie choice for students to meet their recommended daily servings of fruits and an excellent source of Vitamin C. It uses just whole fruits and juice with no added sugar, and no yogurt or sherbert.
B. Mango-A-Go-Go. A classic smoothie with whole Mangoes, Passionfruit-Mango Juice blended with Pineapple Sherbet. (Equivalent to 2.5 fruit servings.)
This is the second most popular smoothie and a very good choice, especially for kids who love mangoes. 🙂
C. Caribbean Passion. A classic smoothie with whole Strawberries, Peaches and Passionfruit-Mango juice, blended with Orange Sherbet. (Equivalent to 2.5 fruit servings.)
If you are looking for something uniquely Jamba, this refreshing, creamy smoothie is for you. 🙂
D. Freshly-Squeezed Orange Juice with Immunity Boosts
Most of the smoothies are heavy and can be used as a replacement meal for lunch or dinner. Sometimes, if you just want a boost of vitamin C and energy, you can order freshly-squeezed orange juice with energy or immunity boosts.
E. Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal. Organic steel-cut oats slow-cooked with soymilk, topped with brown sugar crumble and fruit toppings.
Your oatmeal breakfasts will never be the same with Jamba’s organic steel-cut oats and its different toppings. I recommend the Apple Cinnamon topping.
2. Jamba uses the BEST Fruits for any season!
Jamba uses the yummiest fruits harvested at the right time and blast frozen so that they can be available all year round.
They only get fruits from the best countries. Ex. The Philippines is one of the sources of their bananas (and they are currently testing products using Guimaras Mangoes). 🙂
The Jamba Smoothies use non-fat yogurt or sherbet.
Only a little ice is used and blended to the smoothest consistency.
Each serving of Jamba Juice has 2.5 – 3.5 servings of fruits. 🙂
3. Interesting Memorabilia from Jamba’s World History Room
This Original Juice Club Blender, which started the entire Jamba Juice brand, is preserved (but still operational) in the Jamba Juice World History Room.
The first book on Jamba — Jamba Juice Power by Kirk Perron, founder of Jamba Juice.
An innovative Bike Juicer, which you pedal to blend the juice.
Photo of one of the first and loyal employees of Jamba Juice.
4. Filipinos in Jamba!
Kimmie Molina, a half-Filipina who has been with the company for 17 years, was given an award for having the longest tenure at Jamba Juice. 🙂
Filipino Donnie Diaz is the Director of IT in Jamba Inc. HQ!
You’ll find a lot of Filipinos working at the Emeryville HQ and serving happily in the 739 various locations of Jamba Juice.
Sharon Fuentebella, EVP for Max’s Group of Companies, is boldly bringing the Jamba Juice brand to the Philippines — the first branch in South East Asia. 🙂
This was a proud moment for all of us when Sharon announced the plans to open Jamba Juice in the Philippines to all the employees of Jamba Inc. in their Emeryville headquarters. 🙂
Truly, this is an exciting time to be a Filipino Entrepreneur!
5. Jamba Juice is a Healthy Employer 🙂
Jamba Inc. has been included in the 2011 list of the Bay Area’s Healthiest Employers, organized by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal and the San Francisco Business Times.
This is the typical healthy lunch at Jamba Juice HQ. 🙂
6. The Jamba Juice WOW Campaign
Here is the Jamba Juice Ambassadors’ WOW Campaign in the US:
Video Link: 2011 Jamba Juice WOW Campaign
Watch out for the Jamba Juice Philippine Ambassadors team! 🙂
7. A Fresh, Healthy and Refreshing Brand!
Here is what Jamba Juice Customers think about the brand:
(the bigger the word, the more frequent customers mention that quality)
The motto of Jamba Juice is awesome: “Inspire & simplify healthy living.” I love it!
8. Always Friendly Employees with Great Service!
Here is what Jamba Juice Customers think about Jamba Juice Experience:
(the bigger the word, the more frequent customers mention that quality)
I just love ordering in Jamba because the people there are so helpful, friendly and fun. 🙂 A perfect match for our Filipino culture. 🙂
9. A Fun Management Team led by their CEO Mr. James D. White
Mr. James D. White, together with his management team, is credited for turning around the business of Jamba Juice in the US. I’m happy they’re now starting to expand in South East Asia. 🙂
It was fun meeting them in their HQ, and they took the extra effort to create a customized Philippine shirt to welcome us. 🙂
10. Jamba Juice Philippines — the first in South East Asia!
Jamba Juice is finally opening in the Philippines this coming Friday, November 11, 2011, at 7am in BHS Central (the new building across ROX) in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig!
We are excited because it aims to have a better design than the stores in the US. It will have a dining area (versus just a takeout store), with fun and friendly service that will be uniquely Filipino. 🙂
Please join us in welcoming Jamba Juice to the Philippines!
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Call or Text Me: +63917 5683-627 (LOVE-OAP)
Follow Me 
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
Youtube
Full Disclosure: Our Awesome Planet is part of the Jamba Juice Philippines Ambassador Team. 🙂
P.S. Here’s an inside look at the Innovation Lab of Jamba Juice in Emeryville, California:
Hi, Anton!
You are so lucky! Do you know if they’re bringing acai berry here in the Philippines? I tasted it in jamba juice in the US, and it’s sooo good! I hope they bring it here 🙂
was this the reason for the entire trip?
cool. I’ve always wanted to try Jamba when I was stationed in the-US…but it was too far from where I was-staying. I’ll definitely line up when they open!
Number 11: That their smoothie is nothing but sugar and that frozen fruits doesn’t really have anymore nutritional value.
I remember they had Jamba Juice before at the Fort, near Go nuts. Not sure why they closed down but glad that it’s back.
Yes one of the primary reasons which also including doing food and internet marketing research for my new projects in 2012 🙂
Anton
Yes the sugar are coming from the fruits. On the nutritional value, that’s a valid comment.
Maybe, Jamba Juice can do a third party nutritional assessment here in Manila to dispel that perception.
This is the first time Jamba Juice is coming to the Philippines.
I think you’re confused. The Jamba Juice headquarters is in Emeryville, California. There is no such thing as Emeryville, San Francisco. Emeryville and San Francisco are two different cities. Emeryville is over 10 miles away from the City of San Francisco.
“This is the first time Jamba Juice is coming to the Philippines. All prior juice bars are just “copycats”…”
Don’t you think labeling local juice bars as “copycats” is bit too harsh? Sure, Jamba Juice was founded in 1990 and The Big Chill in 1994, but that doesn’t mean Big Chill is a copycat. That’s very condescending. Jamba Juice did not invent the Juice Bar and they do not have a patent on the concept.
Smoothies and Juice bars came way before Jamba Juice was born. http://www.smoothiecentral.com/history_of_smoothies.htm
Instead of brandishing your fellow Filipinos for their long-standing efforts to bring heath-minded options to our country, you should at least give them credit for paving the way for this soon-to-open dollar-draining franchise chain’s entry into our own land.
You are right on Emeryville, thanks for this comment.
I love Big Chill so I’m not even referring to them. They have different offerings and different market.
Anton
Hi Anton!
Will you be at the Jamba Juice event at the Fort this week? If so, see you there! 🙂
-Fatima
What’s the difference between Jamba Juice and Big Chill?
Jamba Juice! It’s great they’re coming over here!
Do all their smoothies/beverages have zero sugar? Can’t wait to try Jamba! 🙂
Other juice bars in the Philippines are copycats? Really?! Wow! That’s some statement! Sooo all the burger places here are copycats of ..oh let’s say McDonalds etc?!
Please think before you type Mr Awesome Planet…think 1,000,000 times.
saya naman research trip mo 🙂
i need to research more beach resorts 🙂
You are right, it was a wrong for me to say that. Thanks for the comment and I corrected it already.
They have sugar from the fruits. They don’t offer zero sugar, although they have light options.
Their menu is different in the smoothie combinations with the use of non-fat yogurt/sherbet, extensive breakfast offering like oatmeal, and the fruits – one is fresh and the other one is blast frozen during their ripest harvest season.
i see. thanks so much! will try JJ 🙂
Tried this last 2007 back in Honolulu. Comparing it with the fruit juices we have here, one of the main value that Jamba Juice will probably add is the variety of other fruit flavors (I am assuming the other berry flavors not usually available in the Philippines will be brought here).
They may be a bit late in the market, but if the value they bring can carve out a niche for the price insensitive market (in other words: The rich and affluent who can buy this without feeling the pull on the pocket 😛 ) I think it can flourish. Watch this gain momentum on the post “Ber” months when people begin their health and beauty regimens to prepare for the summer 😛
Also, their fruit juices are very thick in consistency! Not much water is used. Ordered a large tumbler back then and it can keep you full for pretty much 2 meals!
Frozen fruits, just like frozen vegetables, retain all nutritional values. Because this ensures that the fruits are kept in their prime and frozen in that state. Hand light destroy nutrients; frozen fruits and vegetables dont have this problem because they are flash frozen.
Hey Anton! Have you tried their secret recipes?! they ONLY serve it if you can name the ingredients used. The one i used to get was White Gummy Bear, its soooo yummyy!!!
I didn’t think that you meant all other smoothie companies were copycats, but I have heard of some smoothie stores opening in other countries that claim to be Jamba Juices that aren’t. I would definitely call those stores copycats since they don’t even own the name!
I think the tone’s uncalled for. People need to chill.
Oops, i meant refined sugar/high fructose corn syrup pala 🙂
Emeryville and San Francisco are 2 different cities, in different counties. It’s like saying Los Angeles and Irvine. Know your geography.