See the full list of juice bar equipment you need to start a juice bar business (updated for 2024)
A juice bar is a great business, and it’s something I’ve been doing for over 5 years in different forms. I’ve operated a mobile juice bar pop-up at street food markets and festivals and owned a brick-and-mortar juice bar.
So if you are thinking of starting a juice shop business, you are probably wondering where to start and what juice bar equipment you need.
The main type of equipment that you need for a juice bar include juicers and blenders to make the juices and smoothies, refrigerators and freezers to keep products cold, adequate work surface and storage for food preparation and storing goods, and a point of sales system to take cash and card payments
However, there is a lot more complimentary equipment you will to have a fully functional juice bar which I go through in more detail in this article.
Juice bar equipment list:
- Juicers (cold pressed & Centrifugal juicers)
- Blenders
- Citrus Juicers
- Refrigerators & Freezers
- Ice machines
- Food preparation Tables
- Cooking appliances (oven, grills, ranges)
- Kitchen ventilation systems
- Storage containers and shelving
- 2-Compartment sinks
- Card and cash systems (POS)
- Kitchen display systems (KDS)
- Disposables
- Cleaning products
- Product displays
- Customer seating
- Menus & Signage
- Marketing
- Uniforms
- Delivery app
- Miscellaneous items
Juice Bar Equipment List
Below is a complete list of all the equipment, products, and services you will need to open a juice bar, which is based on my experience operating a juice bar over many years.
Juicers
There are typically two types of commercial juicer machines that juice bars use. A cold-pressed and centrifugal juicer and both have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Centrifugal juicers
Centrifugal juicers use fast-spinning blades to extract the juice from the pulp of the fruit and are much quicker at juicing in comparison to cold-pressed juicers.
However, the juice centrifugal juicers produce doesn’t last as long in the fridge in comparison to cold-pressed juicers and is only really good for up to 24 hours, which can be an issue if you want to remake some drinks as a grab-and-go option.
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Cold pressed juicers
Cold-pressed juicers are a relatively new type of juicer and extract the juice from the pulp of the fruit or vegetable by a slow spinning, crushing action, which produces very little heat
They are more efficient and you tend to get more juice from the pulp which means more of a return from the investment in stock. The juice they produce also lasts longer in the fridge, up to 3 days without pasteurization
Related article: 5 Best Commercial Cold-Press Juicer Machines (2024)
Blenders
Blenders are another important piece of equipment for a juice and smoothie bar and something you need if you intend to make smoothies.
In both cases of juicers and blenders, you will need commercial-grade blenders to keep up with demand and constant use.
However, you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on a top-end blender, as there are many good commercial brands out there that offer commercial performance at an affordable price.
Related article: 5 Best Heavy-Duty Commercial Smoothie Blenders UK (2024)
Citrus Juicers
If you intend to make juices that contain citrus fruits such as lemons and limes, then you will need a citrus juicer, as putting them straight through a juicer will leave a bitter taste. You can do this by hand, but it’s less efficient, and you may find it can put a strain on the wrist over time.
Citrus juicers come in either electric or hand-operated versions.
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Refrigerators & Freezers
When running a juice bar you will be holding a lot of stock. Some of your products, such as apples can be left out at room temperature, but a lot will have to be cold stored.
This is where fridges and freezers come in for things like berries, milk, and other perishable goods.
Depending on the size of your operation and the space you have available (whether it’s from a mobile juice truck or a fixed location), will determine the type of fridges and freezers you need.
Related article: 5 Best Refrigerators For Food Trucks
Ice machine
Ice machines are useful and can save you money in the long run, but I wouldn’t say they are a necessity.
You can quite easily buy ice from your local suppliers and store it in your freezers.
However, sometimes places do run out of ice, which can be a little inconvenient, especially when the weather is hot.
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Food preparation tables
You will need adequate surface space to chop and prepare your fruit and vegetables and for your blenders and juicers to make your drinks
You will therefore need stainless steel countertops which are easy to clean and look professional. I recommend going for foldable pop-up or movable stainless steel tables as they will be easier to reconfigure the layout of your juice bar if you want to change things around
Related article: 5 Best Folding Tables For Food & Market Stalls – 2024
Cooking appliances (oven, grills, ranges)
Depending on where they are in the world, Juice bars can be at the mercy of the seasons which means they get very busy in the summer and quiet in the winter. To help counteract this you may want to think about selling other healthy hot food products such as soups, wraps, and salads.
You are therefore going to need the cooking appliances to make it such as ovens, grills or ranges.
Kitchen ventilation systems
If you intend to cook hot food then you will need a “Kitchen Ventilation System”, which is a unit that sits above cooking appliances designed to remove heat, smoke, steam, and odors from the kitchen area.
These systems are designed to improve indoor air quality and provide a safe working environment for kitchen staff.
Storage containers and shelving
Aside from having enough surface space to operate, you will also need storage containers for prechopped fruit and vegetables and shelving to store things such as cleaning materials, and dry goods (nuts, seeds, nut milk, etc.)
Related article: How To Start A Juice Bar (By a Juice Bar Owner)
2-3 Compartment sinks
With any type of food operation, you will need sinks to wash fruit and veg and for hand washing and cleaning juicers, blenders, and utensils.
The health and safety regulations for how many sinks you need differ from country to country, but a good rule of thumb is to have two to three separate sinks. One sink for handwashing, another for washing your produce, and a third for cleaning juicers, blenders, and utensils.
Related articles:
- How Many Sinks Do You Need In A Food Truck?
- 4 Best Portable Hand Wash Stations For Events 2023 (updated)
Card and cash systems (POS)
With any type of customer-facing role where you sell physical products, you will need a system that enables you to take both card and cash transactions. You will, therefore, need what is known as a “Point of sale system” (POS)
It’s worth noting that card payments have overtaken cash in some countries so a POS system is very important as this is how you may receive most of your payments.
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Kitchen display systems (KDS)
A kitchen display system (KDS) is a computer screen in the kitchen linked to the POS with information such as customer orders, and serving times, and can even send out alerts to remind staff when they’re running low on something.
Overall its main purpose is to make the processes inside a food establishment as efficient as possible in getting the product from the kitchen to the customer.
Disposables
You are beginning to get the main pieces of equipment for your juice bar together and now you have to think about what you are going to serve your juices and smoothie in. You, therefore, need a range of disposable cups, lids, straws napkins, and cutlery if you intend to sell food.
It’s good practice to go for compostable (breaks down with food waste) or biodegradable disposable products as it’s not only good for the environment but is what today’s eco-conscious consumer expects.
Related article: 6 Best Suppliers Of Biodegradable Packaging
Cleaning products
To create a safe environment and be compliant with healthy and safe regulations and inspections you will need the following cleaning products:
- Sanitizer: Used to kill germs and bacteria on surfaces such as counters, chopping boards, and utensils.
- All-purpose cleaner: Can be used to clean countertops, tables, and other surfaces.
- Scrub brushes: Used on tough stains and grime on surfaces and equipment.
- Sweeping brush & mob: Used to clean the floor, remove stains, and sanitize the area.
- Drain cleaner: A chemical solution used to dissolve clogs and remove buildup in drains and pipes.
- Waste bins: Separate bins for food, general & recycling waste
- Trash bags: For disposing of food, general and recycling waste
Product displays
Now it’s time to attract people with a good eye-catching presentation and nothing works better than large baskets full of fruits and vegetables.
It not only tells people you are a juice bar but also that your juices and smoothies are made fresh.
Customer seating
If you have an inside or outside area for customers to eat and drink your products then you will need tables and chairs for customers to sit. You also may want to consider if the tables and chairs are made for indoor or outdoor use.
On the other hand, if you are a grab-and-go operation you won’t need this type of equipment for your juice bar.
Menus & Signage
You need a way to show your customers what you are offering which means having a menu of your juice, smoothies, and other products.
Menus can be either paper-based or digital screens (or a combination of both) and It’s a good idea to place them in windows to catch customers walking past your shop, on kerbside boards outside your shop in customer seating areas, and hanging about checkout counter.
You will also need storefront signage to make your shop visible from a distance and to help with your overall branding.
Marketing
This isn’t juice bar equipment per se, but it is an important component of running a successful business. It’s, therefore, a good idea to have a few marketing channels to spread the word that there’s a new juice bar in town, attract more customers, and grow once you are established.
This can be in the form of leveraging social media marketing platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, running Google advertisements, or leaflet dropping in your local area.
Related article: 15 Effective Food Truck Marketing Ideas 2024
Delivery app
Over recent years Customers have been increasingly looking for convenience by ordering their food and drinks on a range of delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat. You, therefore, may way to think about offering your products for delivery.
It’s worth noting, however, the platform fees for these apps are quite high and have been increasing year after year so you may want to invest in creating your own delivery app.
Uniforms
You want to give the impression to customers that you are a professional operation which means you need all of your staff to be wearing the same work attire. This can include branded t-shirts and polo-necks, aprons, hats, and hoodies.
Having branded uniforms is also a cost-effective marketing tool for brand recognition.
Miscellaneous items
You will find there are a number of other miscellaneous items that are not main bits of equipment but are needed for the day-to-day operations of a juice bar.
Here are some of the supplementary items you will need:
- First aid kit
- Date labels
- Chopping boards
- Knives
- Pots & pans
- Fridge thermometer
Key Takeaway
All of the items on the juice bar equipment list are suitable for both fixed juice bars and mobile catering operations such as food trucks, trailers, or stalls.
In my experience, you don’t need to buy top-end and expensive commercial equipment, like juicers and blenders, especially when you are first starting out
There are plenty of mid-range models that stand up to the job of keeping up with demand and constant use.
So on that note, I wish you good luck with your new business venture!
Author
Gavin D is the founder of Street Food Central and Tru Foo Juice Bar Co. and has worked in the mobile catering industry for over 7 years.