Asa Swift, 25, heads up three new I Love Juice Bars in Chattanooga

In the warehouse at Dixie Produce, Asa Swift, operator of three new Juice Bar franchises in Chattanooga, holds examples of fresh produce that will be included in his healthy drink treats.

Asa Swift is a 25-year-old account executive at Dixie Produce, a huge, fruit- and vegetable-filled refrigerated warehouse in downtown Chattanooga, who had an idea for his boss, Lee Pittman, Dixie Produce's president, CEO and owner.

Swift already sold coconuts and other perishables to juice bars in Knoxville and Nashville, so he wondered, why couldn't Dixie Produce open its own juice bars here?

"I just noticed, this is everything we're already selling. There's no reason that we couldn't do this," Swift says. "Mr. Pittman essentially gave me his blessing."

So Swift is now the district manager for the three recently opened I Love Juice Bars. The new stores are on North Market Street in North Chattanooga, on Highway 153 in Hixson and near Hamilton Place mall in East Brainerd.

Dixie Produce is a family-owned business that ships fruits and vegetables to stores, restaurants, schools and other customers in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Virginia. But Pittman and Swift aren't just opening the juice bars here because they get their fruits and vegetables at wholesale prices. They both believe in juicing's health benefits.

"More people need to experience the benefits of juicing," Swift said. "Drinking juice regularly will increase your energy levels, improve your immune system and also accelerate weight loss."

While some juice bars charge $10-$12 for a 16-ounce drink, I Love Juice Bar's drinks are less expensive, Swift said.

"It's $6 for most of them," he said. "Only one or two is $8."

I Love Juice Bars is a chain founded in 2013 in Nashville by married couple John and Vui Hunt. She had run a successful vegetarian restaurant in Atlanta, and he worked in private-label manufacturing for major retailers in the cosmetics industry.

The chain's motto is "juices, smoothies and more." Its offerings include beet juices and juices made from greens, including kale, spinach and parsley. Other menu items include essential oil "shots," whole coconuts and a "superfood" salad. Customers can mix their own juices and smoothies, too.

"We have daily soups, sandwiches, salads, and other vegan meals. I want more people to take advantage of our healthy and convenient lunch options," Swift says. "Juice Bar is an eat-healthy and feel-great type of place."