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It was the love of the plant-based lifestyle that launched the beginning of Juice Institute. It began with my first at home juicer. Within weeks of this purchase, I knew I had to bottle this delicious pressed juice and share with my community. I started by sharing with family and friends, I blew their heads off with my chilli shots and set my mind to starting a little juice business.
Many names for this venture buzzed around in my head, we tossed around Juice Queen, Juice Lady, Juictified, Liquid life and Planet Pressed, the list went on, but it was Juice Institute that resinated with me and all who heard it. I’ve lived the plant-based life for 10 years, educating myself about the power of plants and how cold pressed juice could benefit all those around me. I wanted to nourish my community, by making raw juice affordable and accessible. I’ve focused on 3 main recipe pillars - greens, roots and citrus, I passionately developed my recipes and continue to evolve them every day. These recipes were taste tested by the best critics.
Beginning my Juice Institute facebook and Instagram, with photos taken simply at home, I began to sell my cleanse packages on the socials and via email. The demand was there from the beginning, and before long my customers kept coming back for more. Being brand new to eCommerce and frankly to being an entrepreneur I didn’t get it right first time around, I spent hours on the front and backend of the web design trying to perfect a customised check out and our unique delivery/pick idea. There were many late nights, a few tears and possibly even a tantrum but I was so proud of each accomplishment and my customers feedback energized and encouraged me. As my business grew, my little 200ml lemon tango was getting rave reviews I knew I had to increase its size. The big decision to repackage was here, and move to new labels, to include nutritional panels and make Juice Institute available for wholesale to cafes.
I loved the idea of the juice jars, but knew it was risky and different. So many decisions, I was often overwhelmed. I had to have courage in the conviction making the decision to go for the jars, I invested in professional printed labels with a word of warning from the label guy ‘these are pickle jars’ Not anymore buddy!! They are juice jars now. Our 467ml juice jars were here.
I have hustled my juice hard over the last 12 months, as a working Mum, with Juice Institute being a very healthy side hustle, the passion has run deep to push boundaries, I have focused on the bigger picture and creating the long term dream. The dream to share health and wellness in the plant based world and do something I love for a living. Juice Institute has been at the Porchland Festival, Gillies at the Ground, Cosmic Yoga’s Silent Nights, many local markets, juice tastings, juicing workshops, F45 Unley, and proudly had a write up in the SA Weekender. We have collaborated with Yoga Garage, Kacie Jae's Granola, Raw Bliss Deserts, The Baby Cino Club, Bodytech Health and Performance, B3 Massage and Movement, Pro Wakeboarder Lauren Sachwarz and Mitch Ping Coaching. My last competition on Instagram has over 300 entries! Being asked to supply juice to Tyler Tolman and his crew on their July tour was a highlight. His team quoted our juice in the top 5 they had ever had in the world. Imagine that!!
Our first year has been about finding where Juice Institute belonged, the early days of customers collecting their orders from my home are now gone. I soon moved my first pick up location to the local supermarket, Belair Supermarket and Cafe. And have gone on to build a very special partnerships with the incredible Cosmic Yoga in West Lakes, my biggest gratitude to Bianca and Inese. Recently partnering with Trish from Adelaide Pilates Studio in St Morris as our third pick up location. From collecting my produce once a week, to now having two huge weekly deliveries. We now juice over 150kg of produce each week. We have taken over 500 orders, filled over 5000 jars of pure plant goodness and are growing every week. We have two commercial fridges, 2 commercial juicers and I’m blessed to have a dedicated, hard working team of 3 and growing. Thank you Naz, Lee-Anne and Immi. Our main focus is our beautiful cleanses, always keeping them nourishing, delicious and affordable, I am thankful to my two stockists Octeine Coffee in Kent Town and Brother Bear Wholefood Café in Mount Barker. These are two businesses that don’t just say ‘Support Local’ they actually do it! The biggest reward of what has been a massive year, is my beautiful customers, who keep coming back. This is the biggest compliment I can receive, and from the bottom of my heart I thank you. To all those dream chasers out there I’m here to tell you Go For It! There is nothing more rewarding than showing up for yourself, being true to your ambition and seeing results from hard work and passion. It truly takes a village and I want to thank you all for being supportive, encouraging and thirsty for Juice Institutes nectar. Gabrielle xxx |
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