Texas company buying high-profile Charlotte juice bar chain facing franchisee lawsuits

Clean Juice, a rapidly growing eight-year-old Charlotte juice bar brand, is being purchased by Texas franchising group BRIX Holdings, LLC.

BRIX’s acquisition of all assets of Clean Juice, an organic juice bar franchise with 75 locations, is expected to close within the next several weeks, according to a news release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Clean Juice’s expansion has not been without turmoil. Least year, nearly 40% of the chain’s struggling locations sued to get out of their franchise agreements. The lawsuit is ongoing in federal court, filings in the Western District of North Carolina show.

“We are confident that Clean Juice will be well positioned for future growth and success within the BRIX family of brands,” Landon Eckles, co-founder and CEO of Clean Juice, said in a statement. Eckles and wife Kat started Clean Juice in 2016 as the first USDA-certified organic juice and food bar franchise.

BRIX — with restaurant brands including Friendly’s, Red Mango and Orange Leaf — will have over 300 locations and eight brands by adding Clean Juice.

About Clean Juice

Clean Juice’s menu includes cold-pressed fresh and bottled juices, smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, açaí bowls, toasts and salads.

During the pandemic, Clean Juice continued to expand and added its first national TV spot with spokesman and former football player Tim Tebow.

When Clean Juice opened its first Wisconsin store in November, the company had over 100 stores, with another 40 in development, a news release said.

Officials with Clean Juice and BRIX did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the deal for comment Monday.