Raising the Juice Bar

Raising the Juice Bar

Cold-pressed juice and neighborhood juice bars exploded in popularity last year. Yes, the juices are pricey, but there’s likely a very valid reason why — they’re highly potent. One 16-ounce bottle can average between three to six pounds of fresh produce — delivering remarkable health benefits that might be missed in our daily routines. And because the daily grind may keep us from juicing at home, startups have stepped up to fill the healthy demand.

Nationwide, BluePrint Juices are now a household name, coffee giant Starbucks even has its own line, and here in San Diego, juice pros are popping up at rapid fire pace, led by soaring local powerhouses Suja Juice and Beaming. Here, we introduce you to three local juice companies on the rise, and the dynamic women running them.    JANE SHIOMI

Illuminate Juice
Illuminate Juice, available for pickup and delivery in San Diego, is helmed by Rene Brunold and Sasha Treviso, who believe: “Your body will thrive when it is able to absorb and assimilate the best nutrients the earth has to offer. Our cleanses will nourish the body and promote healing by supplying the blood with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that are ready for absorption. The goal is not to deprive your body, but rather to reset it by providing it with the best nutrients as efficiently as possible. You are feeding your cells within minutes to revitalize and energize your body instantly.” 858.395.2616, www.illuminatejuice.com

Oh! Juice
Started in San Diego by Hanna Gregor in January 2014, Oh! Juice is on a mission to deliver (via glass bottles) the highest quality and nutritionally dense juice in San Diego that is handcrafted, 100 percent organic, locally sourced, cold-pressed, and HPP (high pressure processing) free. Oh! Juice believes that that nutrition should meet flavor and neither should be compromised for the other. Gregor is a trained nutritionist who stands by core values to make a truly elite product. Offering a variety of different nutritionally designed juices, Oh! Juice is available in one-to-30-day cleanses, or as a perfect everyday staple. 619.908.1150, www.ohjuicecleanse.com

Choice Superfood Bar & Juicery
Located in the village of Carlsbad, Choice Superfood Bar & Juicery, co-founded by Nastasha McKeon, offers kick starts in the form of one-day and three-day cleanses that are 100 percent organic, gluten free, dairy free, and plant based. Choice believes that: “Cleansing can be a great way to reset your metabolism, break bad habits (food, caffeine, alcohol, etcetera), start fresh, alkalize, energize and detox.” Pickup is available daily, and the juicery stays open late on Wednesdays for the State Street Farmers Market. 760.994.0013, www.choicejuicery.com

Photography by Bob Stefanko