Jamba Juice has opened a concept unit in Pasadena, Calif., that will serve as the chain's testing ground for new products.
The Jamba Juice Innovation Bar offers menu items exclusive to the new location, including a Southwest-inspired quinoa bowl and a smoothie made with cashew milk. It will also serve up juice flights, as well as bar snacks.
In an effort to be seen as a gathering space, the location supplements the concept’s usual juice-counter format with communal and bar-style seating.
"Not only will the Innovation Bar serve as a learning lab where we can create and test new food and beverage concepts, but it also provides a central hub within Pasadena where guests can comfortably gather and enjoy better-for-you food and beverage offerings,” Jamba Juice CEO Dave Pace said in a statement, calling the unit’s launch a “major milestone.”
A number of chains have recently debuted concept units—Wendy’s last year opened its own innovation lab, as did fast casual Freshii.
Jamba Juice’s concept restaurant, announced last year, was originally slated to open in January. It’s the latest in a series of changes for the chain, which is under new leadership after the retirement of CEO James White, and is in the process of moving its corporate headquarters from Emeryville, Calif., to Frisco, Texas.
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