November 19, 2006 13:16 | Montreal

Morning dose

business idea

the product:
freshly pressed fruit juices and smoothies, in two size formats each, coming in a handful of standard combinations (based on price of raw materials and, you know, what tastes good and sells).
at order time, buyer has choice from handful of "doses" of healthy and/or stimulating adds:
- gurana
- ginko biloba
- panax ginseng
- echinacea
- vitamin D
- vitamin C
- vitamin E (premium... expensive stuff)

Offer dose bundles, with silly names:
- "northern lights - to get you through the winter: vitamin D, ginseng, panax, enchinacea, vitamin C"
- "smart and beautiful - leader of the pack: premium dose, everything!"

yada yada

market:
Young urban professionals with disposable income who are performance, appearance and pseudo health obsessed, of course!

distribution strategy:
identify key metro stations in both peripheral and core urban areas, so as to target the major young urban professional nexuses. mouahaha
(local examples: Laurier, Mont-Royal, Sherbrooke, All the university/downtown stations, Vendome...)

I'm putting this out there cause obviously it's not something I can do myself. Lots of research required for a basic business plan (cost of drink ingredients, availability and cost of dose ingredients, cost of containers, juicers, dispensers, cost and availability of booth-like location(s) (I'd put the first at Mont-Royal). If I were 22 I'd be out there right now doing this though. ;)

Comments
Sun, Nov 19, 2006, @ 18:00
1- Phil

When I lived in Toronto there was a vegetarian health food chain that did pretty much that, The name was green something or other I think. There were a few locations one in the Annex one on Queen I think. Of course I ate there all the time and their food was awesome.

The gym here at Duke does pretty much the same thing as well except more along the lines of protein shakes and less with the vitamins, it seems to be a hugely popular idea. What better way to finish your workout then with a protein shake with a breakdown of fat protein etc.. right next to the ingredient list.

The booths at Metro stations sounds like a good idea though.


Sun, Nov 19, 2006, @ 19:09
2- Boris

No no Phil you missed the key point: this place would add doses of stuff that supposedly has direct effects: gurana is a strong caffeine source (core ingredient of Guru), ginko and panax help brain functions etc...

fruit juice/smoothie stands are dime a dozen, and yeah gyms all have their fancy juice bars too. I'm talking about hard core "healthy drugs" mixed into juices and smoothies. ;)


Sun, Nov 19, 2006, @ 19:12
3- karl

I'd choose Square Victoria for starting the morning.


Mon, Nov 20, 2006, @ 12:06
4- Phil

Not sure if I missed the point or not Boris, unless you are suggesting something other than a smoothies with vitamins, supplements and herbal remedies added.

The vegetarian chain I was talking about at the centre of the universe (called Fresh, I let my fingers do the walking and looked it up, http://www.juiceforlife.com/ on Crawford, Spadina and Bloor) did just what you suggest, adding gurana, ginseng and a bunch of other vitmains and supplements to their drinks; and the Gym adds vitamins and protein supplements.

My point is that several places are already all over the idea, and if I remember correctly "Justin's Smart Bar" back in the day on the 'ol rave scene did something similar as well.

I am not trying to be a smarty pants here, or poo-poo
on your idea. I think that it's a great idea and would definitely buy in, and I think the market is out there, the same people who shell out for a 5$ cup of coffee more than likely would be willing to invest the same for an energy boosting smoothie. I'm merely suggesting that there are some models out there that you can look at for a business plan, in fact if you bump into Justin in Blizz some night he may be someone interesting to bounce the idea off. after all he took the energy drink craze (re Guru) out of the rave scene and plopped it into the mainstream.

I think that Fresh in Toronto even has a recipe book out. My favourite variation be juice,ing with carrot ginseng, vitamin c and ginseng. Viva la gourmet juice/smoothie bar (you may have trouble slinging the smoothies when it "moins vingt" outside though).


Mon, Nov 20, 2006, @ 12:47
5- Boris

Phil, thanks!!
Didn't think you were being smarty pants or anything, just I didn't get that Fresh was offering extracts etc. (I don't consider gym juice bar with protein shakes and the liek to be the same.. at least not market wise). And yeah for sure the raver smartbars etc are theforefathers...

I totally think it's time to take it mainstream and put it under every commuting yuppie's nose! hehehe and I mean that in the nicest way possible. :)