Juice Kings - Stamford, CT
Owners Renel & Jeff from Juice Kings came into the game at a time when the world was grasping for clarity. What many are beginning to realize is that their initiative is the answer.
Not only do these men represent that honorable hustle that many of us envision, but they are providing a good that is moving public health and community connectivity forward. At the same time, they are inspiring many to think critically about what goes into their bodies and how it impacts their lifestyles.
We love to ask food entrepreneurs what their relationship with food was like when they were growing up. Funny enough, Renel and Jeff had completely different experiences. On one end, Jeff’s relationship with food was molded by a health conscious mother and a middle eastern father who was big on intense spices, turmeric, and garlic. That meant never any fast food, but home cooked meals instead. Then there’s Renel who’s relationship with food growing up was according to him, “TERRIBLE, absolutely horrendous.” He shared that his family is from the deep south and further explained that his eating habits were passed down generations beginning with his enslaved ancestors. “Since the enslaved were eating out of necessity, they didn’t have the best choices. Some food consisted of low grades of meat, high oils, starches, and few vegetables.” Inevitably that contributed to generations of obesity, heart disease, and health complications. Fortunately, the information age allowed Renel to research his way towards a healthier life.
When it comes to their sourcing and supplies, Juice Kings is not perfect and there’s room for improvement, but they are very aware and determined for growth. However, that can only be accomplished through our community support! They stressed their desire to be more sustainable and mentioned their interest to link with local farms, especially for composting purposes. Although their produce is not 100% organic, they try to buy organic when it comes to the dirty dozen. So although they do not check the box off for being completely sustainable or organic, they are an all natural option that is guiding the average person towards making better decisions when it comes to their health and wellness. Small, incremental changes to better our quality of life are what make the difference.
As of now Juice Kings commits to pricing things right so that people will frequent rather than it being a one time experience. “I don’t want you to come in here & say damn that place is expensive, I want you to come in here and feel like you got a good value, amazing service & you can afford to come back tomorrow & the next day.” As we sat there on a Sunday afternoon, we witnessed a flurry of frequent flyers, first responders, and new customers come in.
Renel and Jeff were motivated to bring a whole foods, no additives, no preservatives kind of operation to Stamford, CT. They hope to deter people who are of less means from going to McDonald’s for a cheap, easy, and palatable meal. “There’s a perceived value out of a $5 meal.” The matter of the fact is that it looks like it's giving you a lot, but it’s actually taking more than it’s giving you in the long run. If people don’t have the option, then they can’t do better. Juice Kings not only provides that option, but they provide an abundance of nutritional information that triggers questions and will leave you wanting more.