Extracting the goodness: squeezing success in the local freshly pressed juice business

There couldn’t be a better time to include healthier foods in our diets than the start of a fresh New Year and with National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day on January 15, a day dedicated to observing the benefits of natural fruit and vegetable juice, what could be more motivating in the first month of 2024. 

The Day highlights the therapeutic properties of freshly squeezed juices with natural antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, to remind us to include more nutrients in our daily diet to improve mental and physical health.  

According to data from the Fruit Juice Science Centre, a European-based science information organisation and Savanta, a UK data market research company, almost a third of Brits struggle to eat enough fresh fruit (29%) or vegetables (30%). 

The young fruitful entrepreneur providing wellness in a glass – with the occasional piece of cake 
Mr Mohammed Bader, 25, manages his family-owned juice bar, dessert and coffee shop, Shake Time, on Kingsbury High Street in north-west London, in the Borough of Brent. 

The cafe has a freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice bar as soon as you enter, a prominent feature before your eyes fall on the creamy cakes next to the fresh fruit. 

On having the only shop on the high street or in the area with a freshly squeezed juice bar in the cafe, Mr Bader said: "It's really a benefit for our customers who rarely find freshly squeezed products here, around locally. 

"As I get a lot of people here coming from south London, north London, sometimes Watford, and they're really amazed when they come and see what we have and what we provide for them because having such a business is difficult to find everywhere".  

Oranges and the zest of success 
Various studies on the benefits of healthy eating state that in the UK, orange juice has the highest consumption rate. Because of its vitamin C content, natural sweetness, and zesty citrus flavour, many people view it as a breakfast staple.  

Mr Bader said he “doesn’t have one specific one because everyone is different” when asked which is the most popular fruit juice sold in his shop. 

He said: “Some people are into sweet juices, sour juices, some people like mixed blended juices, but luckily, we provide everything for everyone.  

Fresh vs bottle, carton, and packaged juice 
Is there any comparison to the refreshing flavour of freshly squeezed fruit juice, or does the ease of a conveniently packaged bottle or carton reign supreme?  

Mr Bader has a supermarket a few shops along the road from his fresh juice bar and, he said: "I don’t want to use the wrong word, but I think people are being fooled by what they’re seeing because they don’t know what’s inside these bottles”. 

Is there a future for freshly squeezed and bottled juice market or is it all going to pulp?
Research trends by Kantar, a market research company, have emerged “that juices are gaining popularity among the 16 to 24 age group, while vegetable blends have the potential to tap into new growth opportunities. Over half of young people, 54%, of respondents in the surveys said they drank juice at least once a day”. 

Fresh juice - good or bad? 
The World Health Organisation advises adults to consume no more added sugar than 30g, or 150ml of fruit juice, per day – fresh or bottled. Experts say, fructose, in most foods, does not seem to have harmful effects “if it is not contributing to excess daily calories”. 

Various studies by nutritionists in the UK and internationally have also stated that most, if not all, juices do not have much fibre.  

Figures speak: the growth potential 
The global fruit and vegetable juice market size was valued at £103.73 billion ($131.62 billion) in 2021 and is expected to grow, according to data by Grand View Research, an Indian and USA-based market research and consulting company.  

Helping hand with “Dr Juice” 
One of the managers at Shake Time, Mrs Eniko (Annie) Roman, 41, told me she is known as "Dr Juice" for her fruit juice suggestions from the vast choice on their menu. 

Mrs Roman said: "Oh, I have very much regular customers. People, like they want to boost energy or help with their blood pressure. I have one customer who is losing her hair, and she said the combination I recommended for her helped her a lot. She has been coming every day for the last three years”. 

One of Mrs Roman’s regular customers, Mrs Claudette Donald, 63, who works with a local school for differently abled children, said: "I have been drinking freshly squeezed juice for the past five years and I have been coming here every day for the fresh pomegranate juice for three years.

“It's better than having different fruits individually, having them all in one go is more convenient and easier having them”.  

The economics of freshness 
Although the appeal of freshly squeezed juice lies in its flavour and health benefits, the financial aspect can be somewhat daunting.  

Mr Andrew Booth, 34, a manager with Wembley Arena who works the night shift and is a regular customer consumer of freshly squeezed juice, said: "It's a lot easier to drink freshly squeezed juice here, you don't have to do all the cleaning and take care of all the mess as well. So, that's it's nice to come and see Annie. It's a good spot, a local business”. 

Some juicy history 
The word juice comes from the Old French word jus, juis, or jouis, meaning liquid obtained by boiling herbs. In the 14th Century, the word juice was recorded as the watery parts of fruits and vegetables. 

The word went back to meaning the liquid extracted from fruit and vegetables when the first juicer was invented in the 1930s by the British inventor Norman Walker.  

Juicers can extract vital nutrients from fruits and vegetables without using heat. Concentrated juices are extracted using steam and heat before being bottled and packaged for consumption. 

Conclusion: to juice or not to juice 
As individuals, we can make choices that reflect our personal values, whether it's indulging in the refreshing taste of freshly squeezed orange juice or opting for the convenience of a bottled beverage while on the go. 

When it comes to the world of juice, there is space for both the natural and the conveniently packaged options - a matter of taste, quite literally.