AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JuiceLand, a plant-based juice, smoothie and wellness company, today announced former general manager and CEO of Wheatsville Food Co-op and industry beverage expert, Mark Jacob as its new President. Following sustainable expansion in employee growth and new store openings, JuiceLand is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with additional leadership and a refreshed menu featuring original classics and soon-to-be favorites.
“Thinking back to 2001 when I started making juice on Barton Springs Road, there is so much to celebrate with where JuiceLand is today. Our passionate workforce and local community enabled this once tiny one-stop-juice-shop to elevate and expand past its Austin city limits,“ says JuiceLand CEO and founder Matt Shook. “Mark will join me and the Juice Crew in supporting the structure we’ve built and expand on the magic we’ve made. I am confident that JuiceLand will continue to reach new heights and even more of the community we love.”
Jacob joins JuiceLand with more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Starting as a barista and store manager at Starbucks in East Texas, Jacob worked his way up to regional director of operations for the brand. Most recently, Jacob served as CEO and general manager of Wheatsville Food Co-op where he led all aspects of the organization since April 2020. Among other initiatives at JuiceLand, Jacob will be responsible for talent development, streamlining storefront operations and perfecting the JuiceLand drive through experience within their expanding Texas market. For the first eight weeks of his employment, Jacob will work shoulder to shoulder with his fellow Juice Crew members in store, prioritizing full immersement to the JuiceLand culture and behind the scenes workflow.
Jacob has a sincere passion for diversity and inclusivity demonstrated through years of local leadership efforts. Notably, he worked in conjunction with city mayors in Ohio to develop equality and social acceptance programs for the LBGTQ community ahead of its 2014 Gay Games and lead the development of affinity groups in an 11-state region to enhance and support its diversity. In addition, Jacob leads Focus on Hunger initiatives in major cities across the U.S., donating hundreds of hours and raising over $100,000 back into its mission. Jacob will continue to serve the Austin neighborhoods and beyond through his work at JuiceLand.
“I’m elated to start my new journey at JuiceLand the best way I know how—behind the counter. After years as a loyal customer, I plan to get to know the heart of JuiceLand’s business and its incredible Juice Crew, absorbing the culture straight from the source,” says Jacob. “JuiceLand is a growing Texas staple and has accomplished great strides in its ten years of operation. I am honored to join the team in this new chapter.”
JuiceLand’s updated menu features an exciting new design and products including its Blue Chip Smoothie and expanded Agua Fresca offerings. The new menu trails behind its recently-announced new locations in Round Rock, Dallas and Houston, providing nearly 50 new employment opportunities across the three cities. In ten years, JuiceLand has since grown to 35 stores across its home state with over 600 employees and looks ahead with plans to continue expanding across Texas. To celebrate this milestone, all JuiceLand staff members will receive an additional ten hours of personal time off (PTO).
JuiceLand is committed to its community, donating over $100,000 in the past decade to local nonprofits in Austin, Dallas and Houston through its Feel Good, Do Good program. Supporting programs like the Seedling Mentor Program and the Refugee Services of Texas, JuiceLand selects new organizations every quarter, uplifting programs that cater to the immediate needs in the cities they serve.
For more information on JuiceLand’s new president, menu, philanthropic efforts and history visit www.juiceland.com.
About JuiceLand:
Created by Matt Shook and founded in 2011, JuiceLand is an independently-owned juice concept company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Each JuiceLand store encourages the community they serve to embrace health, wellness and a vibrant plant-based diet through juice, smoothies, food and fun offerings. With a mission to positively impact humankind and the sustainability of the planet, JuiceLand has rapidly grown to over 35 stores with locations across Texas, including Austin, Houston and Dallas. JuiceLand is committed to serving its community through sustainability efforts and social outreach programming by utilizing biodegradable materials for all food and beverages and developed a long-standing Feel Good, Do Good (FGDG) program. For more information visit www.juiceland.com.
