About
Janine Allis is an Australian entrepreneur best known for turning a single juice bar she started in 2000 into Boost Juice, a global network of more than 660 stores across 13 countries. Today she steers the parent company Retail Zoo, which also owns Salsa’s Fresh Mex Grill, Cibo Espresso and Betty’s Burgers, while sitting on the boards of Kogan and Michael Hill Jeweller. A string of honours—including Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year and induction into the Franchise Hall of Fame—underline her influence on modern retail.
Before Fame
Born in Melbourne in 1965, Janine left school hungry for adventure. By 17 she was a media assistant at McCann-Erickson, then roamed the world as a nanny in France, a promotions executive in Portugal, a camp counsellor in the United States and even a stewardess aboard David Bowie’s yacht. Those varied gigs sharpened her eye for customer experience. A 1999 trip to the U.S. exposed her to the smoothie boom; back home with a new baby, she blended that idea—literally—into Boost Juice, opening the first store in Adelaide the following year.
Trivia
- She finished sixth on Australian Survivor (2019) and is set to return for the 2025 “Australia v The World” season.
- A familiar “shark” on Shark Tank Australia, she later traded tips with Gordon Ramsay on the 2024 series Food Stars.
- Her memoir The Accidental Entrepreneur – The Juicy Bits offers plain-spoken lessons from her journey.
- Janine swears by daily yoga and “future-focused” health hacks—habits she discussed in a widely shared 2025 interview with The Australian Financial Review.
- LinkedIn celebrated Boost Juice’s 25th birthday in 2025, calling her story “a true Australian success.”
Family Life
Janine and her husband, former radio executive Jeff Allis, have four children. Family has always guided her business choices; the original Boost menu was designed so she could give her kids a quick, wholesome snack while juggling work. She is open about carving out “non-negotiable” time for her loved ones and credits surfing, tennis and shared travel for keeping the clan close.
Associated With
- Brands: Boost Juice, Retail Zoo, Salsa’s, Cibo Espresso, Betty’s Burgers.
- Television: Shark Tank Australia (investor-mentor), Australian Survivor (contestant), Celebrity Apprentice Australia (boardroom adviser), Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars (co-investor).
- Business Allies: Collaborates with chefs like Gordon Ramsay, fellow “sharks” such as Steve Baxter and Glen Richards, and serves alongside Ruslan Kogan on the Kogan board.
- Philanthropy & Thought Leadership: Regular keynote speaker for Saxton Speakers and co-host of the podcast Superwomen We Ain’t, where she champions women in business.
