While sales of traditional store-bought juice have slumped amid concerns over sugar content and artificial additives, nutritious and functional cold-pressed juice has emerged as a leader in the category.
 
Bolstered by its authentic appeal and promise of increased nutrient content, these beverages provide a healthy indulgence for high-end users, according to analysis by Euromonitor International.
 
Once a more niche offering for health-conscious consumers looking for a meal replacement or detoxifying drink, today a more mainstream audience is being introduced to the category. In recent years, major brands such as Jamba Juice, Starbucks and Campbell’s have jumped on the premium juice trend, thus extending consumer interest and awareness of the category.
 
Exemplifying the growth of these premium juices, Pressed Juicery began selling fresh, cold-pressed juice from a Brentwood, CA storefront and juice truck in 2010. Today the company is the leading juice chain in the state, selling thousands of bottles in Los Angeles and San Francisco daily. Riding this success to the East Coast, the company recently opened stores in New York, NY, and Paramus, NJ.
 
Co‐founder and CEO Hayden Slater said the company’s mission is to provide high-nutritious and convenient juices that are “attainable, affordable and delicious.” To meet the demands of America’s grab-and-go snacking culture, the company aims to offer healthy options that will satisfy nutritional needs. “Our daily lives are so busy, so the true challenge is keeping up these healthy habits when we are stressed out or on the go. What makes juice such a great option is that with up to 4 pounds of produce in a bottle of our juice, you can’t argue that this is doing something great for your body, not to mention it’s convenient and affordable at a $6.50 price point.” He added, “We are excited to see this segment of the food industry continue to grow this year.”
 
Processing Power
The benefit of this particular style of juice lies in its cold-pressed process, according to Mr. Slater. “The cold-pressed process applies thousands of pounds of pressure to extract vitamins, minerals and enzymes from produce with minimal oxidation and without any heat to create nutrient-rich, clean and great-tasting juice.”
 
While he said he supports any juice company working to get nutritious products to health-conscious consumers, cold-pressing juice has specific benefits. “Cold-pressing using our custom-hydraulic press allows us to extract the maximum nutrients from raw produce,” he noted. “Juices that are made on site in a juice shop, where you pick your own produce and the juice is made in front of you are great, but they quickly oxidize, and should be consumed immediately. But because the cold-pressed process does not ever heat the juices, the products are still perishable and must be kept cold.”
 
This unique method of extraction provides nutrition consumers can feel, according to Mr. Slater, which is why the category has seen success across a variety of demographics.
 
“It’s so rewarding to see that all types of people are buying our products,” he observed. “Green juice isn’t just something that hardcore health nuts enjoy; it’s becoming more and more mainstream and we are so excited about this shift.” He attributed this growth to consumers’ heightened awareness of how what they eat impacts how they feel.
 
“We see our products being used in so many different ways because everyone’s bodies and needs are different,” he stated. “We have people that cleanse with every change of the season, customers that reach for our juices as a healthy snack or meal alternative, and everything in between.”
 
Cold-Pressed Predictions
When asked what’s next for the category, Mr. Slater predicted that ancient ingredients are coming back to stay. “Many of them, like turmeric, have been around forever, but now we are finding ways to incorporate them into our everyday foods and beverages.” He also noted that charcoal recently emerged as a popular natural detoxifying agent. 
 
Kicking off 2016, Mr. Slater believes nature-derived energy ingredients will increase in popularity. “This year, we’re excited about naturally energizing sources like matcha green tea, guarana, moringa and spirulina. We are coming out with a matcha and hemp blend that I can’t wait for people to try.”
 
Alternative power greens are also key ingredients to watch, including green chard, turnip greens and mustard greens. He said the company would be releasing a limited-time juice with these greens, jalapeno and a few other ingredients in February.
 
As these beneficial beverages continue to grow in popularity, Mr. Slater looks toward introducing new audiences to Pressed Juicery’s nutritious offerings. “In the larger cities, green juice has been a mainstay for a while,” he noted, ”but it is still something new and exciting in other parts of the country and world, so I think classic green juices are still going to remain popular.”