Just like that, a quarter-century of success has passed
Time sure does fly by when you are having fun. Today, a well-established Canadian brand is celebrating their 25th anniversary, an impressive milestone worth celebrating. Booster Juice first opened shop in Sherwood Park, Alberta back on November 13th, 1999. Since then, they have built a reputation on providing customers with delicious, feel good smoothies and food options with top-notch customer service. Today, Canada’s original juice and smoothie bar is successfully operating with more than 450 locations from coast to coast. This type of growth and longevity is rare among quick service restaurants like Booster Juice, something we, as Canadians, are happy to celebrate.
“I really haven’t reflected on the magnitude of today’s event until now when it sunk in that it’s a big milestone, and it’s been a lot of fun and has changed many people’s lives positively,” says Booster Juice president and CEO Dale Wishewan. “I’m incredibly thankful of our amazing customers, franchise partners, and my corporate and store staff who I have the privilege to work alongside. This type of success isn’t possible without being surrounded by amazing people. I am also thankful of my family who have been so supportive during this wild journey.”
Born and raised in Waskatenau, Alberta, Wishewan has always been driven to pursue and achieve success. Possessing a lifelong passion for sports and fitness, he attended Portland State University on a baseball scholarship. While travelling throughout the United States, he noticed the popularity of juice and smoothie bars, and quickly realized there was an opportunity in the crowded Canadian fast food market to provide a healthier alternative to consumers with an active lifestyle. Making his own protein concoctions for years, and with his interest in health and wellness, he made it a goal to bring fresh and healthy food to the Canadian market. The hard work began with his own home kitchen serving as the testing ground for one smoothie creation after another—including some of the most popular smoothies on their current menu!
When the first store opened in Sherwood Park, it was a new concept to Canada. November was not the ideal time either going into the dead of a Canadian winter selling cold beverages. Co-workers, neighbours, and friends thought he was crazy to embark on something so foreign to Canadians, but he was determined. As it turned out, people were ready for a healthy fast-food alternative, and there was nothing else like Booster Juice in the market.
Things moved quickly after that. By the end of year one, 15 locations were open and in year two, another 35 more locations were added. This was such an achievement that it is still a Canadian franchise record for opening 50 stores in two years from inception.
When others in the food service industry have asked how he was able to open 50 stores in two years, Wishewan’s reply is always the same: “I didn’t know in the first year whether five stores were typical, or 25, and everything came naturally from a project management side. The next thing you know we had 50 stores.”
Now, after 25 years, they are still blending up incredibly delicious smoothies, delivering convenient wraps, paninis, rolling up energizing Booster Balls, and freshly preparing nutritious shots and beverages.
Learn more about franchising with Booster Juice
