Snack and specialty foods processorThe Inventure Group Inc., Phoenix, said two retailers are planning national distribution programs for Jamba All Natural Smoothie kits (frozen fruit products).

Inventure Group is producing the product under terms of a licensing agreement with theJamba Juice Company, Emeryville, Calif. Although it was not identified in a press release --Rader Farms, a frozen fruit processor in Lynden, Wash. -- is most likely producing the line. Rader is an Inventure Group business.

Inventure said it received product commitments from most retailers within its targeted test markets. Moreover, it says two of these retailers plan to stock the product nationally. As a result, Inventure expects the smoothie line to be distributed in more than 5,000 new stores by the end of the second quarter of 2010.

Inventure said it already has started shipping to some of these new retail customers and will leverage earnings from this launch to optimize the next phase of the roll-out in the third quarter of 2010. The initial launch will be supported by strong, integrated trade and consumer programs.

"The $2.5 billion smoothie category is strong and growing," said Terry McDaniel, CEO of The Inventure Group. "We now have a product that allows grocery, mass merchants and specialty retailers to capture their share of this growing category. In collaboration with the Jamba team, we've been able to offer an affordable, great-tasting solution from the number one brand of fruit smoothies in the country, and we're seeing significant interest as a result. We are delighted to have a partnership with one of America's leading lifestyle brands."

Retail Jamba Juice fruit smoothie offerings come in three of the leading smoothie retailer's most popular flavors, including Razzmatazz, Mango-a-go-go and Strawberries Wild, officials say. The make at-home line of smoothies contain real fruit, non-fat yogurt and Jamba's signature antioxidant boost, which delivers 100 percent Daily value of Vitamin C.