Definition: A Smoothie is a blended, chilled, sweet beverage made from fresh fruit and fruit juices which is blended with crushed ice, frozen fruit or frozen yogurt. They have a milkshake like consistency which is thicker than slush drinks.
Smoothies are typically marketed to health conscious people and can also be offered with soy milk, whey powder, and green tea. Smoothies became available in the late 1960’s when ice cream vendors and health food stores started selling them.
The current retailers are operators such as Smoothie King and Jamba Juice.
Smoothie Essentials
- Usually fruit based, but can be a mimicked dairy product
- Precision Foods, Inc.
- Vitari/Fruitage (J.M. Smucker Company)
- Typically not chemically enhanced nor artificially flavored
- texture is more icy than shake products
- Bold flavor
- many operators cut a non-dairy product with an ice cream to create unique combinations.
- i.e. vanilla ice cream with Orange Dole Whip produced a creamsicle twist product
- many operators cut a non-dairy product with an ice cream to create unique combinations.
- Dispense temperatures
- 24° - 27° degrees F
- Equipment should be set to the customers preference upon initial start-up
- Powdered Mix
- requires proper and consistent mixing
- can use dry storage versus refrigerated
- mix should be prepared 12 to 24 hours prior to use
- Packaging
- Same as soft serve
Note: Installation agents must call customer prior to installation to schedule and arrange CTS. A part of that needs to be understanding what product is being used, and making certain that the customer has product in house, and more importantly, thawed and ready to use.