Design and Development of Your Juice Bar

You’ve done your research and agree that a juice bar in your health club is not only going to make a tremendous profit center, but it’s critical for providing the nutritional component that so many of your members need. So, what’s the next step?

Choosing a Designer

Do It Yourself? – You may have talent for drawing, but how well do you grasp equipment or cabinet layout? Do you know the proper equipment to use and where it should be located to ensure that your juice bar will run efficiently? How well do you understand electrical codes and plumbing restrictions? For instance, do you know the difference between a direct drain and an indirect drain or a 208-volt versus a 240-volt application? One mistake could cost you big time. Even architects who are skillful in creating concepts that look great on paper are challenged when it comes to placing the appropriate equipment in the right place.

Architect – If you have already contracted an architect to build your club or Juice bar, that’s great, but make sure that you have an expert in Juice bar/Café Design look at the plans and tweak where necessary. The fact is, architects are not food and beverage people, so getting a second opinion is always a good idea. It shouldn’t cost much for a second opinion, but it could save you thousands. A specialist may even take the design component away from the architect, saving you more money and making your architect happy.

Juice bar Design Specialist – If you haven’t contracted an architect, then by all means shop around for a company that specializes in juice bar/café design. These companies specialize in what you are trying to achieve. Health clubs may have challenges that an independent café or juice bar wouldn’t have. In addition, these companies will gain a true understanding of your demographics and the types of products you will be serving. They will design and implement equipment specifications to fit your needs.

The most accurate guide you can use for determining who you should select to assist you in designing your kitchen is a firm’s reputation in their field and “word-of-mouth” recommendations from associates in your field who have worked with the selected firm in the past. Once you have verified the credentials of the firm you have chosen to work with, it is important to ascertain the range of services they are capable of supplying and the cost of these services. Typically, you should work with one person in the firm throughout the entire project. This person will be knowledgeable in all phases of planning and design so as to assure continuity throughout the entire project.

Key Factors to Consider

There are several key factors to keep in mind when going through the design process. A qualified designer should cover all of this within their scope of services.

• Juice bar or Kitchen Health Department Plan Review

• Food Service Equipment – electrical, plumbing and ventilation plans

• Implementation strategy of sanitation and health codes

• Utilities usage and waste

• Product offerings vs. equipment requirements

• Labor savings as part of the design

• Space saving efficiencies

• Construction build-out costs

Of course, there are many other advantages to utilizing the services of a qualified juice bar/café design consultant that are not quantifiable. For instance, you may want advice on the quality of one brand versus the other or overall operational issues.

When your juice bar is designed, it should look great and look like part of your club’s motif. But, if the guts of your juice bar are awkward and either under or over built, it could cost you many dollars in inefficiencies over time and in expensive equipment you just don’t need. Remember this: no two juice bars are alike and neither is the positioning of equipment, millwork, marketing or products offered. These factors need to function in synergistic harmony to make your juice bar the most efficient and attractive it can be.

Once it is built, serve the healthiest food products you can to your members. They will appreciate it.