SAN FRANCISCO – The publicly-trade California restaurant chain Jamba Juice has hired Finn Partners as its PR and social media agency of record in the US.

The agency will work under the direction of Jamba Juice’s SVP and chief brand officer Julie Washington as the company focuses on its juicing heritage in 2014. For instance, already this year, the chain -- that operates more than 800 stores across the US -- debuted “whole-food ingredient” smoothies and juices.

“They’re going back to their roots, having started over twenty years ago under the moniker of Juice Club,” said Howard Solomon, managing partner, Finn Partners and head of its west coast operations.

Finn Partners will manage proactive media relations and social media strategy, focusing the latter primarily on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Jamba Juice is also doing more around mobile commerce and expanding its CSR initiatives, like “Team Up for a Healthy America” around childhood obesity. Its marketing initiatives will also include partnering with health and fitness celebrities like Jake Steinfeld, Venus Williams and Summer Sanders.

Brenda Lynch, Finn Partners senior partner, is leading the assignment with support from the agency’s offices across the US. Founded in 1990, Jamba Juice has 851 Jamba locations globally.