Store Name

It took us awhile to think of a store name.  The first name we settled on was "Happy Beans Smoothie (HBS)."

We chose HBS because we want to introduce azuki beans as a cost-effective alternative to protein powder.  We also wanted a distinctive and catchy name that intuitively generates fun web and storefront designs.  Imagine smiling beans jumping around!

While we liked the name HBS, we were never comfortable with it.  Though we may think HBS expresses our childlike enthusiasm for smoothies, others may interpret us as immature, not to be taken seriously.  To us, the idea of bean based smoothies is interesting, but others may find it weird and gross.  We see happy beans jumping around.  Others may see turds making funny faces.

We then considered "Healthy Bean Smoothies."  More serious sounding but it still assumes that people will be intrigued by the idea of bean based smoothies.  And some people equate "healthy" with nasty. Too problematic.

In the end, we chose a pedestrian and straight-forward name -- "Fresh Fruit Smoothies (FFS)"  It's neither sexy nor mysterious (not that HBS is either), but it concisely describes our shop as a place that serves smoothies made with fresh fruit and not with artificial flavoring. We think it's a name that most people will understand. 

The name FFS also means there's less pressure to make bean based smoothies sell.  In our moment of self-absorption and grandiosity, we imagined ourselves revolutionizing the smoothie industry and the American culinary culture by force-feeding Americans blended azuki beans until they they say they like it.  We had to remind ourselves that our goal, at best, is to introduce new ingredients and to help people cost-effectively fulfill their needs.  We can't expect people to like our products.  We can only try our best to make products that people will enjoy and purchase.