Maple Leaf Express in Bromyard, Herefordshire, has become the first forecourt to stock the new SMÜGO healthy smoothie concept.
The self-serve concept was created by SMÜGO founders Roy Wainwright and Ed Morris, because they said they were frustrated by the lack of healthy and tasty options available at forecourts.
Wainwright, who was born in Japan, says there are similar concepts over there and he was keen to bring Japan’s healthier convenience foods to the UK.
He says SMÜGO smoothies are made with exactly what you see in the frozen cups: big chunks of fruit mixed with vegetable or pea protein powder or goji berries.
The customer takes the cup from the freezer, scans the QR code that’s on the cup at the blender station, put the cup in the blender, a blade comes down, a bit of water is added and the smoothies are made in front of their eyes.
The 1m-wide unit has the blender on the left-hand side with a small freezer on the right-hand side which can take about 60 cups. The unit needs to be plugged in and connected to water.
There are currently three flavours: the protein boost, which has 20g of pea protein; green revival which has ginger and kale in it and the cool refresh containing goji berries.
Recommended retail price is £4.95 for the 500ml cup but Maple Leaf Express is currently selling them for £3.95 each.
Maple Leaf Express is part of Rondel Trading. Area manager, Tim Chander, told Forecourt Trader: “It can be hard to find healthy options in forecourt stores apart from things like fruit pots. SMÜGO brings the type of healthy smoothie people make at home, to the forecourt.
“Feedback has been very good with every single person who has tried SMÜGO, liking them.”
Maple Leaf Express has a 50” TV screen as you enter the shop and Chander says they will be putting ads for SMÜGO on the screen, so the brand is immediately visible as soon as you enter the store.
• On April 8, Bromyard Maple Leaf Express featured on Sky News as one of the cheapest sites for fuel in the UK.
