Chuze Fitness

Tell us a little bit about your company. 

Chuze Fitness was founded in 2008 and has grown to 30 locations across Southern California, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. Bringing unprecedented value and enlightened hospitality to the health club space is our mission. Memberships begin as low as $9.99 per month and provide access to our 40,000+ square foot facilities which are loaded with amenities. Our members become family and we take extreme pride in the cleanliness and upkeep of the club-- providing members with a second home. One way we help our members get results is by offering our Chuze Blends Bar which is fueled by Performance Food Centers (PFC).

How do you utilize PFC for your smoothie/shake bar?

PFC provides all of our ingredients and recipes so we are set up to deliver post workout recovery options that are clean, taste great, and get results.

If there is one thing you could share with someone just starting their own smoothie/shake bar, what would it be?  

Oftentimes, a smoothie bar is a business within a business and needs to be treated as such. Someone needs to "own it" and the offering cannot simply be additional work tacked on to a manager's plate that is already 95% full. Margins are tight and the products need to be closely managed. Staff training, efficiency, and execution are paramount. Keep the menu simple to start and add complexities as the team gets their hands around the operation.  

Do you have a favorite marketing tip that you feel helped your smoothie/shake bar to grow or connect with your customers? 

Two successful tactics we've deployed were strategically built to drive both trial and sales. We've seen an increase in trial by using smoothie sales to support charitable causes that reinforce our brand equity. We've also seen an increase in sales by debuting exclusive (and irresistible) Smoothies of the Month.  

What is your favorite smoothie? (Or employee/customer favorite :)) 

Vanilla Bean with a scoop of peanut butter is a personal favorite. Peanut Butter Cup is our top seller pretty much across the board.