Q & A: Pressed Juicery fosters health beyond food
Photo courtesy of Pressed Juicery.
In Los Angeles, it’s difficult not to think of the health-conscious dietary sticklers the city’s residents are known to be. From spinning and cycle classes to organic detoxifiers and endless varieties of quinoa recipes, L.A. is as progressive and contemporary when it comes to food and drink as any other city. Perhaps nothing personifies this characteristic of L.A. as much as the juice craze. Wherever you go, it’d be difficult not to find a café, store or even coffee shop that doesn’t offer juice or a juice cleanse. You’d be even more hard-pressed to not have seen or heard of the king of them all — Pressed Juicery.
Founded in 2010 by Hayden Slater, Carly de Castro and Hedi Gores, Pressed leads in offering fresh, gluten-free, vegan, organic and delicious juice in an assortment of flavors and tastes. With younger generations becoming increasingly more focused on what they consume, Pressed is the trademark that embodies and represents a focus on well-being through fostering a healthy lifestyle. Boasting 42 storefronts across California, Las Vegas and New York, Pressed is much more than a product — it’s a company and brand that is as Los Angeles as Pink’s Hot Dog or a Runyon Canyon Instagram post. I had the pleasure of sitting down with co-founder Hayden Slater to talk all things Pressed Juicery.
Hayden Slater, co-founder of Pressed Juicery sits down with the DT. Photo courtesy of Pressed Juicery.
Q: What’s your personal background and history prior to Pressed Juicery?
A: I was born and raised in L.A. I went to NYU for film school. After I graduated I became involved in film and various production positions. My first job straight out of college was with HBO. Before PJ, I was very much a part of the entertainment industry.
Q: How did Pressed Juicery get started?
A: Back in 2010, it was really just me, Carly and Hedi with a vision to make this company. We raised our own money and started from scratch. We used the closet in a cupcake shop after-hours to start making our juice. We started small, but were determined to make something of it.
Q: What makes Pressed Juicery so special? What’s unique? How does it differentiate itself from other juice brands?
A: We really go back to our roots. We use raw ingredients, all natural, organic, gluten free and vegan. What’s on the bottle is in the bottle. We were the first to offer juice shots. We launched an online magazine as well juice freeze, which are vegan, frozen treats. We believe so much in our product [that] I really think it speaks for itself.
Q: Competition, particularly in Los Angeles, is stiff with the juice market. What marketing and branding strategies have you used to continue to make Pressed Juicery stand out?
A: We really faced a lot of imitations in the beginning. A lot of companies would take our idea and create their own. There used to be this conflict, but now I think the competition is healthy. We know what our values are and what we stand for and I think our customers know that and appreciate that.
Q: How do you feel about the long-term prospects of your company? Will people continue to buy into your brand in the future?
A: Again, we believe so much in our product that I think customers will continue to return and grow with us. Our product tells a story and it does all the talking. We offer a healthy way of life and wellbeing, and I think that’s what makes us appealing to our customers. We were actually approached to be entrepreneurs pitching our company on Shark Tank, but we felt it wasn’t the right direction we wanted to go in.
Q: Pressed Juicery offers not only a product, but also a company that fosters a lifestyle. What other markets are you hoping to expand to in the near or far future?
A: We’ve been very fortunate to work with social media influencers who have fell in love with our juice. It’s all been organic, and we’ve been lucky to connect with such a strong market and community of people.
Q: Do you have any hopes of continuing to open storefronts or will your business model focus more on stocking shelves at grocery stores, specialty stores, coffee shops, etc.? Where do you hope to take Pressed next?
A: We’re definitely looking for a blend of both — retail and storefronts. We want health and high nutrition accessible and wherever we are able to do that — be it business-to-business, retail or e-commerce — we want to offer what our customers want. If there was a demand for more retail outlets or even more stores with let’s say food options as well, we’re willing to listen and explore what’s possible and what works. We want the masses to drink this product and for it to be readily available.
Q: What’s your response to criticisms that people can just go to the grocery store, buy fruits and veggies and make their own juice at home?
A: We welcome it! If you try our product and that inspires you to make your own at home, by all means, do that. We’re promoting a lifestyle and culture that is rooted in organic products and wellbeing. We have 35 to 40 flavors of all natural ingredients to choose from, and we have this vision that we want others to share in. If you want to make your own juice at home, I do have to say though, enjoy the clean up!
Q: What advice do you have for budding entrepreneurs and those who are looking to start their own business like you?
A: Stay true to yourself. Start a true passion. Really believe in yourself. Do what you love. A business is living thing. You should welcome mistakes. There is no right or wrong. Do what’s best for the company.
Photo courtesy of Pressed Juicery.