Nekter Juice Bar Inc. in Santa Ana has signed multi-unit franchise agreements to bring the food-and-smoothie chain into Utah, Washington and Florida—all new states for the chain.
The chain currently has 70 locations in five Western U.S. states—California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Colorado. Its average unit volumes run about $850,000, which works out to systemwide sales of about $60 million.
An additional deal is expected to grow its reach in Texas, where it already has locations.
Nekter said it would have 100 locations open by year-end.
The new deals are for five locations in Utah by 2020, with the first by mid-2017; 11 locations in Washington by 2022, with the first by fall 2017; and 21 locations in Florida by 2022, with the first by year-end.
The Texas expansion is for Ft. Worth and Houston, two new markets where a franchisee has agreed to open 12 to 15 locations.
The long-term effects of Nekter’s growth is a shift to a national presence and more franchised sites. The chain at the end of 2015 had about 55 locations with 75% company-owned and two-thirds in California; it ended 2016 with 62 locations—two-thirds company-owned and about 55% to 60% in California.
New states, more franchising and a three-year target of 425 locations looks to shift those ratios even more.
