Why Can Boost Juice Considered an Entrepreneur?

Why can Boost Juice considered an Entrepreneur?

1. Introduction

70 years ago it was almost impossible to believe that in the business world of

today's economy more than "10.1 million companies would be owned by women,

employing more than 13 million people, and generating $1.9 trillion in sales"

(Center for Women's Business Research 2008, p.3). One of the most successful

businesswomen in Australia is Janine Allis (Kirby J. 2005), who built up the fastest

growing franchise in Australia called Boost Juice bars. Boost Juice is with a group

turnover of more than $AUS 85,000,000 per year the largest juice and smoothie

bar in the southern hemisphere (Boost Juice Pty. Ltd 2008).

The following essay will deal with the business concept of Boost Juice and will

discuss the question whether Boost Juice can be considered entrepreneurial.

Firstly, the essay will give a short description of the company. Secondly, the

meaning of entrepreneurship will be evaluated. And lastly, the essay will explain

how Boost Juice creates value.

2. Boost Juice bars

Boost Juice is an innovative "grab-and-go retail concept" (Clark, L. 2007, p.44),

which was founded by Janine Allis in 2000 and is specialized in selling healthy

juices and smoothies. Six month after opening her first store in Adelaide, more

than 189 stores have opened throughout Australia. Today the Boost Juice retail

chain counts outlets in Australia, Chile, UK, New Zealand and the Middle East.

Janine Allis has already won numerous Awards with her unique business concept.

Achievements include the Telstra's Business Women award in 2004 and the Price

Waterhouse Coopers Franchiser of the Year award in 2005. And also her

entrepreneurial skills were honored, as she was a finalist of The Ernst & Young

Entrepreneur of the year award.

Figure 1: Janine Allis, Founder of Boost Juice (Boost Juice Pty. Ltd 2008)

3. Boost Juice and Entrepreneurship

In former literature there have been several attempts to "conceptualize the

phenomenon of Entrepreneurship, and to identify the typical Entrepreneur" (Hyrsky,

K. 1999, p.13). According to Volkmann and Tokarsko, for instance, the basic

characteristics associated with an Entrepreneur are elements like innovation,

creativeness, risk taking, flexibility and lastly the aim to be efficient and growthorientated

(Volkmann, C., Tokarski T). In the following extract the author will give two widely accepted definitions and will then analyze whether the concept of Boost

Juice can be considered entrepreneurial.

Figure 2: Definitions Entrepreneur

To determine whether Boost Juice can be considered entrepreneurial the author

developed an analysis sheet (Figure 3, p.5). It shows that Boost Juice fulfills all

decisive entrepreneurial qualities. Janine Allis was not only an innovative and

creative force, but also implemented significant changes in markets by taking risk

and introducing a totally new product.

It was the first time in Australia that someone offered a healthy fast-food alternative

to fast-food chains like McDonalds and Subway. Allis introduced a totally new idea

of fast-food to customers by directly selling fresh made and healthy take-away

products. She entered in a new fast-food-wellness-market (Jackson, J. 2005,

p.30).

After