Jamba Juice has a sobering message for entrepreneurs who want to open a franchise: You might be better off somewhere else.
In a “special risks” section of its 2026 franchise disclosure document (FDD), the smoothie chain revealed that 130 Jamba Juice franchise agreements have not survived the last three years.
Opening a Jamba Juice, the document bluntly states, “could be a higher risk investment than a franchise in a system with a lower turnover rate.”
In an unusual twist, that turnover rate has been overwhelmingly driven by franchise terminations, the document reveals, with some 116 Jamba Juice franchises being terminated since the beginning of 2023.
Over that same period, only 13 franchises were listed as non-renewals and just one store ceased operations for another reason.
The high level of terminations is not typical of Jamba’s competitive set. By comparison, rival Tropical Smoothie Cafe had only 28 terminations over the same three-year period, despite that chain having a much larger footprint. Planet Smoothie, a smaller competitor, had just 4 terminations.
Jamba Juice is owned by GoTo Foods, a retail conglomerate backed by private equity firm Roark Capital Group, which also owns Cinnabon, Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, and other chains.
What accounts for Jamba’s unusually high termination rate is unclear. Provisions in its disclosure document state that Jamba Juice may terminate a franchise in default for various reasons, such as failing to pay debts or refusing an inspection.
Franchisees, on the other hand, do not have the grounds to terminate except in cases permitted by state-level laws.
Fast Company reached out to Jamba and GoTo Foods for comment.
What happened to all these terminated franchises?
In the quick-service restaurant industry, a franchise termination doesn’t mean that the store has necessarily closed. Sometimes another franchisee will take over the store. And in some cases, the franchise owner will buy it.
Jamba’s disclosure document does not specify which terminated franchises may have shuttered or which ones may have been scooped up. It lists 126 franchise “transfers” over the three-year period, mostly in California, and it also shows that franchisees opened 104 additional locations.
However, Jamba’s overall footprint has been shrinking. According to the document, the smoothie chain had 710 locations as of the end of last year, a net decline of 28 stores since the beginning of 2023.
California, where roughly half of Jamba’s stores are located, has seen the biggest net decline, with 38 fewer stores over the period. New Jersey also saw a big drop: from 8 stores in 2023 down to just 1 at the end of last year.
Other states, like Illinois, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon, gained stores over the three-year period.
All but one of Jamba’s locations were franchise-owned as of the end of last year.
Is Jamba still closing stores in 2026?
The Jamba Juice brand has seen a pop-culture resurgence of sorts this year thanks to HBO’s critically acclaimed series DTF St. Louis.
The smoothie chain features prominently in the show, which follows a police investigation into a love triangle that ended in a mysterious death. Without giving too much away, a central plot point hinges on two Jamba drinks: the Go Getter and Watermelon Breeze.
Jamba has even posted about its cameo on social media.
Still, Jamba locations have continued to close this year, including a few notable examples, like the longtime store in Downtown Disney, which closed in July.
Jamba has not released a list of stores that have closed. According to our review of online media reports, review platforms, and Jamba’s own store locator tool, the following stores have closed this year:
- 6000 J St Student Union, Sacramento, CA 95819
- 6050 Main St, American Canyon, CA 94503
- 1570 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802
- 32358 Dyer St, Union City, CA 94587
- 1497 Adams Ave, El Centro, CA 92243
- 921 Topsy Ln #412, Carson City, NV 89705
- 6440 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75039
- 4502 S Steele St Ste. #381, Tacoma, WA 98409
The above list might not be complete. We’ve asked Jamba for additional details and will update this story if we learn of more locations.
It’s worth noting is that Jamba also projected it will open 37 new stores this year, so whether it ends up with a bigger or smaller count when it files its next FDD remains to be seen.
This story is developing…
