With an increasing number of South Africans embracing healthier lifestyles, there’s never been a better time to start a juice bar business. A juice bar is a shop that sells a mix of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, that are freshly squeezed on the premises.
In South Africa, we are seeing more juice bar businesses launch, particularly franchises. One of the most well-known juice bar franchises in the country is Boost Juice Bars which offers a range of juices, smoothies, crushes and snacks.
Like any business, starting a juice bar requires some planning, upfront investment and a lot of hard work. If you’re an entrepreneur and wellness enthusiast and you’re ready to invest, follow this guide to start a juice bar.
Juice Bar Trends in South Africa
There are many opportunities for businesses that provide healthier alternatives, particularly those that appeal to Millennials and Gen Zs. Cold-pressed juices and smoothies are rising in popularity to supplement healthier lifestyle choices such as adopting vegan or vegetarian diets.
One of the advantages of venturing into the juice bar industry is the opportunity for product expansion. This includes trendy offerings such as acai or chia bowls, protein shakes, smoothies, and other complementary supplements.
Getting Started
Start-up costs for your juice bar include equipment, rent, and other costs. The costs will vary depending on a variety of factors such as the type of juice you plan to sell, rental costs and packaging and marketing required. Your costs will also depend on whether you will be selling a premium product or a more basic offering.
Location and Store Setup
When considering the establishment of a juice bar shop, it’s important to secure a prime location with substantial foot traffic and one that your target markets of health-conscious consumers frequent. Some ideas for locations are near a supermarket or a gym.
In terms of setup, this type of business requires a few high-tech pieces of equipment and a refrigeration unit that meets food service standards.
LightspeedHQ provides a list of some of the initial costs which include:
- Large, commercial-grade blenders
- Juicers to extract juice from your fruits and veggies
- Ice machines
- Sinks and dishwashers
- Prep equipment including knives, cutting boards and food scales
- Storage
- Packaging cups, straws, napkins and other paper products.
- Point of sale system
- Furniture
- Start-up inventory (stock)
- Shop fittings/signage
- Electricity and water
- Phone connection and monthly bill
- Internet connection
Juice Bar Legal and Regulatory Considerations
Establishments that offer foodstuff, including beverages, are required by law to possess a business licence to operate.
Read: More on licensing and permits for the food and beverage service industry
Food and beverage businesses must also have a Certificate of Acceptability. To obtain a Certificate of Acceptability, you will generally be required to provide information regarding the nature and type of food being handled on the premises, the nature of the handling (e.g. preparation, packing, processing etc), and certain other information. You can apply for a Certificate of Acceptability from the local authority, which would typically be your municipality.
