Landmark Hospitality Signs Agreement to Launch Jamba Juice in the Middle East

• Landmark Hospitality's F&B Division Foodmark Set to Open 80 Jamba Juice Stores across Region over 10 Years

Dubai-UAE: 05 January, 2014 – Landmark Hospitality, the hospitality and leisure arm of Landmark Group, today announced the signing of a franchise agreement between its food and beverage division Foodmark, and Jamba Juice Company (NASDAQ:JMBA), the leading global health and active lifestyle brand, to launch Jamba Juice in the Middle East region.

The exclusive franchise agreement will see Foodmark develop the brand in the Middle East. An estimated 80 Jamba Juice stores® are planned for the region in the next ten years across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

Jamba Juice will offer healthy food and beverage options with its first store set to open in Dubai this year. The product offerings will include freshly-squeezed juices, parfaits, smoothies and yogurts with real fruit, oatmeal, wraps, flatbreads and toasted sandwiches, all made with nutritious ingredients packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 

Kieran Mallon, COO of Foodmark, said: “We are confident that this partnership with a global leader in the health food and beverages sector will be well received in the region, where the soaring temperatures and humidity levels make it necessary for residents and visitors to keep hydrating themselves. Customers are becoming increasingly health conscious in their choice of food and drink, and Jamba Juice will offer beverage options that provide optimum levels of hydration and nutrients.

“We will leverage Jamba Juice's 24 years of experience and success in the US, Korea and the Philippines and our own regional experience in the F & B sector to bring to customers a truly differentiated product range. We are confident that our customers will be delighted with the high quality smoothies and other 'good for you' offerings.”

For Jamba Juice Company, the agreement represents the latest step in its journey of international franchise growth. The Company believes the potential for Jamba Juice stores® internationally exceeds 1,500 units, and the agreement with Landmark Group brings the current pipeline commitment to 480 stores in South Korea, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.

Thibault de Chatellus, Senior Vice-President, International, Jamba Juice Company, said: “Jamba Juice is excited about the opportunity of entering the Middle East region that has traditionally proven itself to be a great market for new food and beverage concepts. We will focus on quality and ensure only the best fruit in the world is handpicked, stored and used in our juices and smoothies.

“The Landmark Group has a 40-year history of successfully building its own and franchise brands and possesses significant business networking capabilities. In Landmark, we have found a terrific regional partner with a strong passion for Jamba Juice, a deep understanding of the different markets as well as its consumers.”

Jamba Juice is headquartered in Emeryville, California with over 849 locations, across 26 states in the United States and internationally in the Bahamas, Canada, Philippines and South Korea.The brand boasts approximately 287 company-owned locations and over 500 franchise-operated stores, in over 45 international locations. Jamba Juice stores worldwide receive over 100 million visitors, annually. For more information on Jamba Juice Company visit www.jambafranchise.com.

Established in 2007, Foodmark is a subsidiary of the Landmark Group, one of the largest and most successful retail and hospitality conglomerates in MENA and India, operating over 1,700 outlets and encompassing over 22 million square feet across 19 countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Turkey, and other markets in the region. Foodmark operates several restaurant concepts and brands in the region.