Néktər Juice Bar Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Nekter Juice Bar is a quick-service franchise serving fresh juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and cleanses. Franchisees run compact shops managing juicing, blending, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR franchise requires a total initial investment of $247K – $641K, including a $35K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $247K – $641K
- 37th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Outlet subset
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 46th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 193
- 83rd pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $247K – $641K including a $35K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSFY2023 (ended Dec 31, 2023) audited total revenues: Royalties $5,036,716, Franchise fees $695,217, Advertising revenue $1,667,397. Franchisor-level (Nekter Franchise, Inc.) financials, not store-level.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 76/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHSystem growing at 27.6% CAGR over 3 years with 193 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Nekter Franchise, Inc.
- Parent company
- Nekter Juice Bar, Inc.
- CEO title
- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
- Steve Schulze
- CEO experience
- 13 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- CA
- HQ
- 2488 Newport Boulevard, Suite A, Costa Mesa, California 92627
- Auditor
- HCVT (Holthouse | Carlin | Van Trigt LLP)
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $7.4M
- vs $6.8M prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Overview
About
- CEO
- Steve Schulze
- Headquarters
- CA
- Founded
- 2010
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 22
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 33% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown18 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee; Development Feenot refundable | $35K | $80K | |
| Real Estate and Rent - 3 months | $10K | $45K | |
| Real Estate Construction and Improvements | $96K | $295K | |
| Architect | $10K | $16K | |
| Mill Work | $15K | $20K | |
| Fixtures and Furnishings | $3K | $21K | |
| Equipment | $34K | $52K | |
| Signage | $5K | $18K | |
| POS, Security System, Music, Phones, Gift Card and Loyalty Programs, and Computer Systems | $5K | $10K | |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costs | $500 | $1K | |
| Opening Inventory | $8K | $12K | |
| Uniforms | $300 | $600 | |
| Training | $3K | $5K | |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $8K | $10K | |
| Utilities | $3K | $4K | |
| Professional Fees | $3K | $6K | |
| Insurance - 3 Months | $500 | $1K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months | $10K | $45K | |
| Total initial investment | $247K | $641K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $247K – $641K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $45K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $35K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 0.1%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $48 |
| Training fee | $5K |
| Transfer fee | $18K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Inventory (initial) | $8K – $12K |
| Total fee load | 0.1% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
22%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2024 FDD
Financial Performance
FY2023 (ended Dec 31, 2023) audited total revenues: Royalties $5,036,716, Franchise fees $695,217, Advertising revenue $1,667,397. Franchisor-level (Nekter Franchise, Inc.) financials, not store-level.
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
- Item 19 type
- gross sales quartile
- Sample size
- 121 outlets
- vs category median 20 · large
- Range (low → high)
- $178K→$1.8M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Quartile band
- $376K→$867K
- Bottom 25% → top 25%
- Transparency tier
- full
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Reporting year
- 2023
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2024
- Disclosed in the 2024 filing, covering 2023
- Transparency
- 0 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · below
Compared against 782 Quick-Service Restaurants brands
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 0.1% — below the Quick-Service Restaurants average of 7.9%.
Disclosure
Item 19 reports gross sales quartile rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
Operator retention
System expanding at 27.6% CAGR over 3 years across 193 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
Multi-unit rate
Only 1% of franchisees own multiple units. Could indicate challenging economics or a young system where operators haven't had time to expand.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Quick-Service Restaurants averages
How Néktər Juice Bar Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 193
- Opened
- 28
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 11
- Terminated
- 1
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 2
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 13.0%
- Company-owned
- 31
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 84%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 1.0%
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +27.6%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +27.6%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 71
- Closed (3yr)
- 15
- Terminated (3yr)
- 4
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 2
- Transfers (3yr)
- 25
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 2
- Franchisor bought back
- Transfer rate
- 10.2%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Termination rate
- 2.4%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 6.3%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 11 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
Available to sell in · Item 12
- Minnesota
States where the franchisor is registered to sell new franchises (FDD registration filings).
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Moderate-to-cautious risk profile: significant capital requirement without transparent financial performance data, coupled with modest growth rates and documented litigation history, warrant careful validation before commitment.
Litigation (Item 3)
Nekter Franchise, Inc. and NJB v. Stanley Mark La Ferr (Case No. 01-22-0002-4701): arbitration action filed June 2022 after former franchisee abandoned store; claims for breach of franchise agreement, breach of oral sublease, failure to pay rent, and promissory estoppel; Final Award issued March 7, 2024 finding La Ferr liable for all claims.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · HCVT (Holthouse | Carlin | Van Trigt LLP)
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 76 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDNo Item 19 financial disclosure (average revenue and net income not disclosed) — impossible to validate ROI claims
- 02MEDHigh initial investment range ($246k–$641k) with no disclosed average unit volumes to justify cost
- 03MINORModerate unit growth (11.7% YoY) is positive but modest for a 193-unit chain — suggests market saturation or slower franchisee recruitment
- 04HIGHLitigation history shows franchisor pursuing former franchisee for breach and abandonment — signals potential franchisee-franchisor disputes or operator quality issues
- 05MINOR6% royalty on gross sales (not net profit) creates cash flow pressure, especially if margins are thin in juice/smoothie category
- 06MINORProtected territory undefined — scope of exclusivity unclear, limiting competitive advantage
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 0.1% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 4 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 4 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | California (mediator's offices in city of franchisor's principal place of business) |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | CA |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Nekter Franchise, Inc. and NJB v. Stanley Mark La Ferr (Case No. 01-22-0002-4701): arbitration action filed June 2022 after former franchisee abandoned store; claims for breach of franchise agreement, breach of oral sublease, failure to pay rent, and promissory estoppel; Final Award issued March 7, 2024 finding La Ferr liable for all claims.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 15 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 81 hrs
- Training location
- Training Store designated by franchisor (currently Southern California and Maricopa County, Arizona); classroom training held virtually
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 9 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee selects within Site Selection Area approved by franchisor; franchisor must accept location within 30 days
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
40 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR franchise?
The total investment to open a NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR franchise ranges from $247K – $641K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR franchise owners earn?
NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR has 193 total units in the United States, including 162 franchised units and 31 company-owned units. 28 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates NÉKTƏR JUICE BAR as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 76 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.