Movita Juice Bar’s First Franchisees Launch Health-Conscious, SoCal Empire
Bryant Corona was the first in his family to discover a Movita Juice Bar. He got hooked on the fresh, organic products and introduced brothers John and Jason and parents Juan and Sofia to the Los Angeles-based brand. “Our mom had always instilled the importance of a healthy lifestyle,” eldest son John says. “She became the biggest advocate. Movita was her go-to for juices, salads, smoothies, breakfast and lunch.”
The Coronas, whose family-owned business includes two El Pollo Loco stores, were big fans of the franchising model. Movita co-founders Raul Rodriguez and Jorge Campos were not ready to franchise – at least not then. But the Coronas knew a good thing when they tasted it and doggedly persisted, finally convincing Rodriguez and Campos to franchise the eco-friendly, health-conscious brand. “We were the biggest cheerleaders. We really believed in this company,” John says.
The Corona family now owns two Movita Juice Bar franchise locations in Long Beach, Calif., which opened in March and July of 2022. Three more are under construction and scheduled for completion this year in Los Angeles County out of a total 10 locations under contract. “Thirty locations is our goal. We want to become the largest Movita franchisee in Southern California,” John says.
Health-Conscious Family-Owned Business
Movita is derived from the words “more” and “vita,” which is Latin for “life.” The juice bar franchise offers smoothies, juices, salads, sandwiches, wraps and shots all made under the guidance of a nutritionist with fresh (never frozen or pasteurized), natural ingredients. Rodriguez says when he and Campos founded the brand in 2015, customers were somewhat skeptical. He recalls questions like, “Why can’t I just have orange juice?” and having to explain that orange juice is mostly sugar with vitamin C and water, while OJ combined with carrot, apple and celery, for example, contains more nutrients.
Consumers became much more health conscious during the pandemic, he says. And the demand for healthier organic foods and beverages has continued to soar, with a global market size valued at $231.52 billion in 2023 and expected to increase at a whopping 13.9% combined annual growth rate by 2030, according to Grand View Research.
Educating consumers about the juice bar franchise’s healthy benefits has been ongoing, John Corona says. “Patrons come in and ask what’s the difference between us and our competitors,” he says. “We have a display fridge behind our counter, and I literally turn around, point and say, ‘You see those carrots, those apples, those celery sticks? That’s what’s going into your juice right now. You see it – it’s not frozen. There are no sugar additives. The only additive that we use is natural, organic agave. We don’t use any frozen fruits or any of those syrups packed with sugar.’
“We’re trying to provide a product and a service for people who want a healthier lifestyle and who are conscious of what they’re putting into their bodies,” he says.
Team members receive training in the benefits of ingredients so they can make suggestions to patrons, and many employees enjoy doing the research on their own. “They’re passionate about what we sell, especially the younger generations, millennials and Gen Z, and they want to be a part of this,” he says.
Day in the Life
With two El Pollo Loco stores, two Movita Juice Bar locations open and three more under construction, the Coronas are busy. John serves as CEO of the family-owned business, Bryant as COO and Jason as director of business affairs. John and Jason are focused on administration, marketing and finance, while Bryant is hands-on, visiting each Movita store, making sure operations are going well and processes are being followed, and checking inventory. General managers are at each location.
“We’re still owner-operators. We step in whenever there’s a need and our schedules allow. There’s three of us, so we divide and conquer,” John says, adding that once the next three Movita stores are open, the Coronas probably will develop an area leader who will be at the stores every day and report back to the brothers daily.
John says his family – especially his mom – recognized the growth potential for the Movita Juice Bar franchise. Sofia Corona, “the backbone of the family,” he says, passed away three years ago before seeing the opening of their first store.
The most gratifying aspect of the family-owned business has been growing it together, John says. “Working with my brothers and my dad, and my mom at the time, has been the most rewarding,” he says. “You know, our parents were Mexican immigrants. They worked their butts off. They created this, and my brothers and I are just proud to continue their legacy.”
To learn more about Movita Juice Bar franchise opportunities, click here.
