Find out how fresh juice brand Top Juice is taking advantage of the healthy food trend
QSR Media got in touch with Barry Barber, General Manager of Top Juice, to talk about the brand's growing reach throughout the country, its continued expansion plans, and how the brand is capitalising on the healthy fast food trend.
Top Juice started out as a fruit and vegetable shop in Double Bay, Sydney in 1989, with a goal of bringing top quality, top freshness to juice. The brand has 68 stores throughout Australia, nearly double the number it was in 2015, and it uses fruit displayed in its stores in its menu, turning the freshest exotic fruit and vegetables into fruit salads, juices, smoothies and meals.
QSR Media: Can you tell us more about your brand?
Top Juice is a unique juice bar and healthy fast food concept specialising in premium juices & smoothies, yoghurts, cut fruit & fruit salads, and garden salads made from fresh natural ingredients. The brand launched in Sydney in 2008 with a juice bar in the CBD, but the origins of the business date back to our first fruit and vegetable shop which began trading in Sydney’s Double Bay in the early 1990’s, selling premium produce and a small range of juices and salads. Today we have 70 successful company owned and franchised Top Juice stores in prime retail locations in NSW, ACT, Southeast Queensland and Victoria.
QSR Media: What differentiates your brand in the market?
Barry Barber: Our stores place an emphasis on creating enticing displays of fresh produce and beautifully presented product, and delivering a great customer experience every day. Top Juice satisfies the strong and growing demand for real food made from natural unprocessed ingredients. What our customers come to us for is our ‘real food’ offer and we aim to be the first choice for juices and food that is delicious, healthy, and convenient.
QSR Media: What can you say are the challenges you are currently facing in the industry? Opportunities?
Barry Barber: Healthy fast-food is the growing sector for food retail, and it’s certainly apparent in the busy food courts of shopping centres. Most food operators now are responding to customer expectations with updated ranges that offer healthier options. While we have seen increased competition across the board, we have been able to capitalise on this consumer trend and the demand for our products continues to grow.
QSR Media: Any big plans you have for the year?
Barry Barber: The Top Juice store network has grown at a steady pace over the past 5 years and this expansion will continue. Behind the scenes we operate a central kitchen and distribution model which supplies stores with everything they need. As the network has grown, the scale and capability of our fresh food production and supply chain has increased significantly. This year we will commence consolidating production, warehousing, distribution and administration into new, much larger facilities in Sydney’s west in close proximity to the Sydney Markets. This represents a considerable investment in the future of the brand and will provide a strong foundation for continued growth.
QSR Media: What would you like to tell the market about the direction of your brand?
Barry Barber: We see plenty of opportunity for good retailers who are tuned into what their customers want, and the QSR space is certainly no exception. We see Top Juice being at the forefront of the ‘healthy fast food’ movement. The brand has broad appeal and we are well placed to meet the growing demand for quality, fresh, and authentic food options now and into the future.
