Max's diversifies into beverages

MANILA, Philippines - Homegrown restaurant operator Max’s Group is bringing the California-based smoothie chain Jamba Juice to the Philippines, marking its diversification into the beverage industry.

Aside from its flagship chicken restaurant Max’s, the group led by the Fuentebella family is also the master franchisee of US-based coffee and doughnut brand Krispy Kreme in the Philippines.

In a briefing yesterday, Sharon Fuentebella, executive vice-president of the Max’s Group of Companies, said they signed an agreement with Jamba Inc. to set up 40 Jamba Juice stores in the Philippines over the next 10 years, with the first outlet slated for opening in Nov. 11 this year.

The first Jamba Juice store, which will be the flagship store, will rise on a 130 square meter lot in Bonifacio Global City.

Fuentebella said the group’s move to dive into the beverage sector was due to growing consumer preference for healthier drinks.

“This is a great time to introduce this kind of product in the country. Filipinos are consciously getting more involved with active pursuits and we want to serve and cater to this growing community. We believe that the Philippines has a huge potential for being one of the strongest markets for Jamba Juice, given the interest that Filipinos have shown, especially recently, for active living,” she said.

Fuentebella said the company is looking to sell the juice products at P60 to P150 but pointed out that the numbers are still under review.

With over 700 locations operating in 30 states and the Bahamas, Jamba Juice uses real fruit and processed fruit juices from concentrate. Each smoothie comes with an option of another ingredient: sherbet, frozen yogurt, sorbet, plain yogurt, low-calorie dairy base, chocolate base, or soymilk.

Jamba Juice also sells fresh-squeezed orange juice and carrot juice, as well as wheatgrass juice shots.  

Aside from this, Jamba Juice serves new organic steel-cut oatmeal which includes toppings such as brown sugar crumble, fresh banana, blackberry-blueberry, apple cinnamon and berry cherry pecan.

Meanwhile, Robert Trota, chief executive officer of the Max’s Group, said they continue to expand its chicken restaurant operations as well as Krispy Kreme. Currently, the group has over 122 Max’s stores in the Philippines, 10 overseas, and 24 Krispy Kreme outlets.

It recently opened its first branch in Dubai with plans to build 10 more in the Middle East in the next five years.

Trota said they are eyeing Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia as possible sites for expansion.

It is also looking to build its second store in Canada next year with the first branch opened in Toronto.