For Steve and Alexis Schulze, it seems like just yesterday when they opened their first Nékter Juice Bar in 2010 yet on Saturday, July 8, the brand’s co-founders celebrated the opening of the healthy lifestyle brand’s 200th U.S. location in Kirkland, Washington. To show their appreciation to their loyal guests, Nékter gave away 200,000 free smoothies nationwide on July 8.
“We are incredibly proud of this milestone, not only from a growth perspective, but also because it validates and underscores what we set out to do with Nékter Juice Bar – to help people on their individual paths to wellness,” said Steve Schulze, co-founder and CEO, Nékter Juice Bar in a statement. “Alexis and I had a humble dream but now as we see it blossom across the country, we are more energized to grow and bring health and wellness to even more communities. We also would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the incredibly hard work of our team and our dedicated franchise family, who have all contributed so much to the brand all these years.”
According to Steve Schulze, growing from 150 locations to 200 is a huge step for any brand. “You really learn who you are, what you can do, and more importantly, what you can’t do. We’ve seen too many restaurant brands, even some of our competitors, grow too quickly, or too sporadically, and unfortunately, they crash and burn.
Today, with approximately 330 locations open or in development across 26 states, Nékter Juice Bar has leveraged a dependable and proven business model the past 13 years with franchisee profitability and collaboration at its core.
“People are continuing to raise the stakes when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, increasingly demanding authenticity and truthfulness, and that’s where Nékter delivers real value for its guests,” said Alexis Schulze. “Our mission has always been to support our guests’ paths to wellness through a menu rooted in nutrient-rich foods that can really make a difference in people’s lives, and we have never veered from that vision.”
“We chose to become a part of the Nékter family because we believe in the mission of providing healthy and delicious food options that are affordable and accessible to all,” said Kyle Victor, Nékter Juice Bar franchisee and owner of Nékter’s 200th location in Kirkland, Washington. “As adults, we’ve become increasingly aware of, and passionate about, the importance of eating a healthy diet, filled with whole ingredients. Juices, bowls and smoothies offer such an easy and delicious way to combine whole fruits, veggies, proteins and other superfoods into an easy and fun to consume meal or snack. We love the idea of ‘total ingredient transparency’ that we offer at Nékter. What you see on the menu board is exactly what you get, no hidden fillers or concentrates. As a Nékter franchisee, it’s also fun to take part in the constant innovation and experimentation that occurs with the menu, always looking for fun new ways to ‘Live Life to the Freshest’!”
