Where did smoothies come from?

Many cultures have enjoyed mashed fruit with juice for hundreds of years, but smoothies have evolved into a worldwide health food phenomenon. This phenomenon owes its beginnings to two influential American entrepreneurs/smoothie pioneers:

1. Julius Freed was the owner of an orange juice stand in Los Angeles in the 1920’s. He had a real estate broker, Bill Hamlin, who had trouble drinking orange juice due to its high acidity. Bill came up with an orange juice mixture that was easier on his stomach. Julius Freed started selling the new orange drink at his stand and sales skyrocketed. The mixture of orange juice, milk, powdered egg whites, and vanilla soon became the world famous Orange Julius. That simple orange juice stand grew into a massive company, with thousands of Orange Julius stores still operating around the globe.
2. In the 1970’s, Steve Khunau began developing a beverage combining fruit, protein, and other nutrients. Steve had grown up with severe food allergies, which precluded him from enjoying the delicious milkshakes he saw his friends happily drinking. He wanted to create something comparable that he too could drink and enjoy. His efforts proved successful and he sold the drinks out of his health foods store. In 1989 he started the first smoothie franchise in the United States: Smoothie King. The franchise was a massive success and continues to expand each year. In 2018, Smoothie King had corporate wide revenues of $415.7 million dollars.