Class, as we wrap up this course, let’s discuss one more case. Please look at Case 35: Jamba Juice. Jamba Juice, started in San Luis Obispo, CA in 1990, was a company intent on helping individuals lead healthier lifestyles. Jamba Juice had been the smoothie industry leader, but there had been increased competition from the likes of Starbucks and quick-serve restaurants like McDonald’s. Previous CEO James White had started a turnaround in 2008, and had passed the challenge on to Dave Pace, but the quick-serve, fast-food industry was a lot more competitive now.

Stand-alone brands faced rising costs and needed significant scale in order to effectively manage operations, which was why the category was increasingly under consolidation. Would Jamba’s move to become a privately held subsidiary of FOCUS brands, an organization known for franchise management, be enough to keep Jamba Juice top-of-mind with current customers and attractive to new ones?

Let’s discuss this case and apply what you have learned in this course. Start by choosing a question and addressing it from this list.

1. How should Jamba Juice compete? What options does Jamba Juice have for managing growth?
2. What are key forces in the general and industry environments that affect Jamba Juice’s choice of strategy?
3. What internal resources and assets does Jamba Juice have that may give it a competitive advantage?
4. How should leadership manage innovation in this industry, and is Jamba Juice still entrepreneurial?