GrubGrade

Jamba Juice had many other writers taste their new items. Here is a list of those involved and links to their reviews if they’ve posted them:

Ken Kuhl – Fast Food News
www.foodfacts.info/blog/
http://www.foodfacts.info/blog/2009/06/jamba-juice-announces-new-food-menu.html

Jessica Simmons – Epic Portions
www.epicportions.com

Taylor Corner – Food Beast
www.foodbeast.com

Leng Touch – Fat Cat Who Created a Vegetarian
www.lengslog.wordpress.com

Abby Abanes – Pleasure Palate
www.pleasurepalate.com

Stephanie Stiavetti – Wasabimon!
www.wasabimon.com

Wandering Chopsticks
www.wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com

Carol Green – Uncovering Food
www.uncoveringfood.com
http://www.uncoveringfood.com/2009/06/blended-bliss-adds-bite-jamba-expands.html

Mari Suzuki – Secrets of a Kitchen Wizard
www.kitchenwizard.wordpress.com
http://kitchenwizard.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/food-is-coming-to-jamba-town/

Denise Lee – Denise Does Dessert
www.denisedoesdessert.wordpress.com
http://denisedoesdessert.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/jamba/

Jamba Juice Headquarters

Disclosure: Some of you may know this about me some of you may not but I have been openly anti-Jamba Juice with regards to their “healthy” image.  Yes they have food items that can be good for you and yes of course they are better than other fast food restaurants (as a matter of fact Zagat just rated them #1 Healthy option in the Quick Refreshment category in their 2009 Fast Food Survey) but I feel that they somewhat mislead the uninformed…and by uninformed I mean the typical American trying to be “healthy”.  They tout their offerings as good for you but some of them clearly are not, a 30oz Chocolate Moo’d Power Smoothie has 900 calories and 166 g sugar!  That’s more sugar in two pints of some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.  In fact a whopping 75% of their “power smoothies” contain over 100 grams of sugar.  Now you and I both realize that these particular items aren’t healthy but what would normally be considered a shake between meals has now magically become a smoothie as an after workout replenishment or a meal replacement.  I will stop with the rant now but I did want to give you an idea as to how I viewed Jamba prior to this event.

Jamba Juice Patio

I could have broken this up into several posts but seeing as to how they will be releasing the new menu additions on Monday I figured I’d slap it all into one. That being said you may be in for the long haul here.  Now buckle up because I’m going to take you for a ride (literally) of my trip through the test kitchens of the international headquarters of Jamba Juice located in Emeryville, CA (sounds cooler that way but really it’s just a 55 minute drive up the interstate from me).
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Next week, Jamba Juice will be rolling out some food items in a business-changing venture for company known for their juices and smoothies.

“For many years Jamba Juice has been popularized as the nation’s leading smoothie chain,” James White, president of Jamba Inc., said in a news release. “And although we have introduced baked goods, snacks and most recently oatmeal to the menu, we felt that Jamba Juice was ready for a dramatic transformation.”

Among the new food offerings will be a selection of sandwiches, wraps, flatbreads and salads.  These new items are expected next week at select Jamba Juice locations in California and eventually be available nationwide.  Looks like your daily drink stop might be turning into your morning grub spot too.  Stay tuned to GrubGrade to check out an inside look at the Jamba Juice headquarters and test kitchen.  Don’t worry, Bear Silber is getting the skinny.

Until then, check out a sneak peak via TC from FoodBeast on Twitter.  Looks good!