Juice Up 412 isn't just trying to capitalize on the increasingly popular juicing trend. The East Liberty establishment's mission is to bring juicing to those who might need it most: individuals in low-income communities with little access to fresh foods.
"When I travelled to other urban areas, seeing health-food stores in other black neighborhoods, I wanted to be able to have something like that here," says Majestic Lane, one of the venue's owners. "When you look at the health disparities, to me it's a no-brainer that we want to give people healthy alternatives."
But getting people who are unaccustomed to health foods to embrace juicing is a special recipe, one that combines increasing awareness of the benefits and making the drinks taste appealing.
To that end, Juice Up 412 offers group demonstrations to educate the community about juicing, and also takes its juice mission to demos at local schools.
"People have to remember fruits have natural sugar and natural flavors," Lane says. "So by combining fruits and vegetables, we're able to provide a high-quality taste and maximum health benefits."
The menu at Juice Up 412 includes: the Green Machine (Granny Smith apples, grapes, spinach and lemons), Orange Sunrise (oranges, carrots and lemons), Blush (beets, carrots, and ginger), and Aloe Zinger (aloe juice, lemon, lime and ginger). Prices for a cup range from $4 to $6.50.
