Many smoothie bars use disposable cups due to its convenience, low cost and the fact that smoothie looks so good in the clear cup. Products like these are perfect for carry-out orders. However, these disposables cups are used just once and then thrown away, creating a large amount of harmful waste. Actually tons of plastic cups end up in landfills every year. Unfortunately, products like these do not break down until hundreds of years later. Therefore, it becomes very important to commit to environmentally friendly products and habits.

Today there are many alternatives for replacing the typical plastic cup and these are the green disposables, also know as bioplastics. Fabricated mainly from corn, sugarcane, potatoes and other renewable vegetable matter, these products can be commercially composted or thrown away to naturally break down in landfills in a matter of months. Biodegradable properties of bioplastics surpass those of regular plastic. Despite their ability to break down easily, they are unexpectedly durable and able to stand up to the same use as any comparable plastic cup. They will easily replace any conventional disposable cup you currently use for your smoothie business needs without compromising the quality.

Because these bioplastic cups are so new to the market, they cost a bit more than conventional disposable cups. However, the increase in cost shouldn’t be a minor setback when you consider how green your smoothie bar can be. Your brand image can change positively and even increase your profits by attracting environmentally minded customers.

Social networking can be a very good option to promote your smoothie business if done right. Social networking is quite simple and does not require a large investment of time and money. There are many of websites on the internet where you can sign up and create your business or personal account. It’s easier to get in touch with your potential customers and millions of people than ever before.

When you start promoting your business on social networking websites you should know their basic functioning. The marketing world has long known that word-of-mouth is the most effective form of advertising, and social networking is the ultimate in word-of-mouth promotion. It is true that small businesses often cannot afford traditional advertising, which really is not effective today, as much as before. In this situation, social networking would be the perfect solution.

Post videos to YouTube about your smoothie business with interesting story behind it then email the link to potential clients like did Jamba Juice with their Banana Man videos:

Original and not boring video can be quickly shared by people on the internet. It is estimated that an average person sends out a link with interesting content to seven or more people and they can do the same.

There aren’t many challenges in social networking when using it for your smoothie business. Having an online presence is a simple way to keep current and potential customers informed about your brand in a very positive and fun way. You can start slowly by incorporating social networking sites into your marketing plan.

Whether part of a franchise or independently owned, profitable operation of juice and smoothie bars requires a well-trained staff and durable equipment. A major expense for the owner of a smoothie bar is equipment, without which the business couldn’t exist. For this reason, the owner should focus on finding equipment that is reliable, durable and easy to clean. Speaking about the smoothie bar equipment we can’t forget about the work-space that can enhance productivity and profit.

A good way to find the right equipment is attending many tradeshows and be in contact with the manufacturers that supply it. Because reliable equipment maintenance backup is crucial and should affect your decision about equipment purchase. Thinking seriously about the smooth operation of the smoothie bar you should always have at least one duplicate of main equipment pieces available to replace a malfunctioning item. A good solution is storing a box of replacement parts. Juicers and blenders in your store absorb a lot of hard use and you don’t want to lose even one customer because of an equipment malfunction that could temporarily close you down.

Beware of making a mistake to use domestic equipment for a smoothie bar because they are designed to be used a couple of times a day, not hundreds. The necessary equipment is the commercial smoothie blender, fridge, freezer, centrifugal juice machine, display counters, sink/preparation area, ice machine, till, cups, accessories and more. Once you have your store and equipment you are almost there but you still need to hire staff and arrange their training. Make sure that you or your staff always wear rubber gloves when preparing beverages for customers. You should always ameliorate the speed of service through improved production systems while maintaining the quality of the products. This is a step forward in enhancing customer satisfaction and increase profit.

The coffee market leader would like to achieve the same success as its rivals by launching a blended fruit drink called Vivanno. Ironically, not so long ago everyone sought to imitate Starbucks. The beverage market has changed radically and now Starbucks has extended its offer of coffee to fruit smoothies. Vivanno smoothie consist banana, milk and an orange-mango-blend juice along with whey protein and fiber powder. By getting into smoothies, Starbucks is just doing what other companies are doing. Such a move isn’t helping to refresh deteriorating brand image.

According to Starbucks research a cool, healthy drink certainly is a good fit to their menu. The company is confident about this introduction and received very positive response from their customers. Overall, sales of smoothies are hot and expects to rise in the coming years. This only confirms the current trend of consumers wanting to eat and drink healthy. However, the price plays a significant role in the success of the smoothie introduction, especially in the current economic downturn. Each company should take this into account when launching smoothies. The right price is very important.

In the past couple of years, as the growth in coffee sales started declining, Starbucks began to enrich its offer with food and this strategy aims to enlarge the sale. The challenge for the coffee powerhouse now is to attract new customers and get existing customers to come back for more. But the risk is that existing customers can switch from coffee to smoothie purchases without a change in company earnings. Of course, Starbucks is aiming higher. It hopes to not just attract a new customer who is health-conscious, but also to steal market share from the rivals. Such a strategy would definitely hinder the development of individual smoothie bars and their owners will have to try harder to succeed.

You should pay particular attention to what you eat when implementing a diet program. This may be decisive factor between long term weight loss achievement and failure. Diet smoothies are a great way to provide your body with the nutrients that it needs while enjoying a tasty drink. Just remember that starving should never be a weight loss metod because it can have serious consequences for you and your body. It’s important to make the right food and snack choices evry day. Below you will find many of the reasons that diet smoothies are great way in achieving your weight loss goals.

Smoothies are blended frozen drinks made from various combinations of fruits, fruit juices, vegetables, yogurt, ice, supplemental powders and natural sweeteners. There are several varieties of natural sweeteners that you can get in your local natural food store. Because sweeteners contains a mixture of different fruits, they are very tasty without adding extra calories that will ruin your diet. Honey is a perfect, natural sweetener that you can add.

Smoothie can replace your typical meal and it’s a great way to ensure that you do not overeat while fulfilling all your daily nutritional needs. You do not have to worry about the lack of protein, you can add tofu or other nutritional supplements such as protein powder to the smoothie. Make sure to use the entire fruits and vegetables when making your smoothie because you will be consuming the pulp of the fruit or the vegetable which is an excellent source of fiber for your body and makes you feel full in addition to helping with the digestion process.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it helps you start the body’s metabolism. Try not to skip this meal if you want to succeed with your diet program. Breakfast smoothies work even if you are in a hurry. Preparation of the smoothie shouln’t take you longer than two minutes!

Because variety is very important in any diet program, incorporating many varieties of smoothies using a diverse amount of ingredients will give you more pleasure during dieting.. You will discover many delicious flavors which are the key to staying satisfied and committed to the program. Making smoothies as a part of your diet and daily routine is one of the best choices you can make to help you meet your diet goals.