Boost-ing yourself towards a healthy lifestyle

When Australian-born Janine Allis noticed there was a lack of healthy drinks options out there for her and her then three kids, she decided to create one of her own. In 1999, during a trip to the USA with her husband Jeff Allis, Janine observed that juice bars were everywhere. Soon, she developed a business plan and after getting her friends to join the bandwagon via investment, Janine got the plan going. "With just a blank piece of paper, Boost Juice Bars was created. We drew up a business plan and presented it to some of Jeff’s radio mates. I was humbled by the faith they had in Jeff and I to turn their hard-earn cash into a business," Janine told Astro AWANI when met in town recently. She said, Jeff, who is now the company's CEO, soon found a site in South Australia's King William Street. To identify their target market, Jeff had his dad sit at the front of the premises, counting people and note their gender, age and possible profession. "Once we were happy with the flow (of potential customers), we signed our first lease and opened our first store in South Australia," said Janine. The now mother-of-four said they consulted nutritionists and naturopaths to create a menu of healthy juices and smoothies that were free of preservatives. The menu offers healthy and delicious smoothies, juices and crushes, all at least 98% fat-free with no added sugar and completely free of any artificial flavours or colourings. Being passionate about creating healthy products, Janine continued to research new ways to further improve the items. "Our products are tailor-made to fit customers' needs. My philosophy has always been to understand what the customer wants and give it to them," she said. In Malaysia, particular in the Klang Valley, many consumers perceived Boost Juice as a healthier alternative to the common fizzy beverages or 'mamak shop' drinks. This is more evident for those living in urban areas where the concern for leading a healthy lifestyle is on the rise. The first Boost Juice Bars booth started juicing in Malaysia in June 2009 when it was introduced by Dr Soraya Ismail and her business partner-husband Nick Tiernan. The couple became fans of the iconic Australian smoothies when they lived and worked in Melbourne for nine years. However, it was during their honeymoon that they decided to bring Boost Juice to Malaysia. Soraya said, Boost was much more than just a great-tasting product. "Boost is not just another juice bar; the brand is based on the entire 'Boost experience'. "Every time a customer enters a store, they would be served with a fantastic product by positive and energetic people in a bright and colourful store environment. "Eleven years on, we still have the same philosophies, passion and commitment to getting it right every time. We know we don't always get it right each time, which is why we love getting customers' feedback so we can fix whatever that needs fixing," she said. Soraya and Nick are the master franchise owners for Boost Juice Bars in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. The couple have since expanded their business to 25 premises in Malaysia and another five in Singapore. Their expansion plan includes another 20 Boost Juice Bars booths in Malaysia by this year end, and one in Brunei within the next month. Boost is also available in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Estonia, South Africa, Chile, Kuwait, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau and Dubai.

A GOOD MIX: Janine (right) and Soraya having fun concocting healthy drinks at the Boost Juice Bars booth in Suria KLCC.