Squeezed, pressed, blended

Local entrepreneurs bet big on juice

The beginning of a new year is always an inspired time when we come forward with all our best intentions for the coming year. The most popular intention for many is to lead a healthier lifestyle by changing up eating habits. Tulsa has become a more health-focused community over the years—it seems like on every block there’s a yoga studio or vegan-friendly restaurant to greet you. Another healthy trend that gained serious steam this past year is juicing and many local Tulsans saw it as an opportunity. The industry is relatively new to Tulsa, but the past year saw local mainstays grow and new places sprout up, so there are many places to grab a super-charged fruit-and-veggie bevvie. 

PURE Food + Juice

3516 S. Peoria Ave. 

Owner Cynthia Beavers left a lucrative life in the Dallas real estate world to become a raw vegan chef. She grew up vegetarian and was looking for like-minded folks interested in a plant-based diet. So she put up a flyer at a Dallas Whole Foods inviting people for a raw food potluck, thinking she’d meet some new friends and maybe sell a house. But the house-selling tactic was overshadowed by the positive response to her food.

“I had so much fun in the kitchen and felt passionate about what I was doing,” Beavers said. “So, I told my whole family I was going to be a raw food chef. They thought I’d lost my mind. I went from wearing suits to wearing a bandana and flip-flops like a hippie chef.”

Her first café in Dallas was a standing-room only success, but she ultimately closed it down to move back to her Tulsa family. She opened her raw food concept in Tulsa in 2008 and relocated in January to a sleek new space among the shops of Center One on Brookside. 

Though juicing has become a bigger part of her business, it’s really the food that changes people’s mind about a plant-based diet.

“I see women dragging their husbands or skeptical friends in here. I recommend the tacos or lasagna and they are always in disbelief that there is no meat or cheese.” 

Pure Food & Juice whips up grab-and-go options each day—like juices, smoothies and meals—but it is also a full-service sit-down restaurant. The next goal for Beavers is to develop a collection of “healthy” cocktails, which should be added to the menu early this year.

Hi, Juice.
1548 E. 15th St.

Owners and long-time best friends Kristen Witter and Madison Ingram opened Hi, Juice. on Cherry Street in September of 2016. Ingram had lived in Los Angeles and loved that the easy access to healthy eating options compared to Tulsa. 

Witter had already caught the entrepreneurial bug by the time Ingram returned home, so the two teamed up and Hi, Juice. was born. They decided that cold-pressing their fruits and veggies would make the best product. Cold-pressed juice is thought to retain more of its enzymes during the juicing process because slowly grinding then pressing fruits and vegetables using an air-pressurized machine minimizes heat usage.

“None of the enzymes are burnt off and you are getting the freshest, most nutrient packed juice,” Witter said. 

In addition to cold-pressed juice concoctions, there are also smoothies for folks who don’t want to miss out on all the fiber occurring naturally in the fruits and vegetables they drink. This Cherry Street juice bar also has shots, designed to jump-start your body. 

“Our shots are powerful little guys created to get your body back on track, fast. We have a ginger shot that is good for fighting off colds and clearing up sinuses, as well as helping ease nausea.”

Ediblend Superfood Café
2050 Utica Square and 1015 S. Sheridan Rd.

Sisters Amy Murrays and Piper Kacere’s latest venture is something they have both been passionate about for years. The two have been partners for as long as they can remember.

“Amy and I have embraced a plant-based diet for over five years after taking a deep dive into the positive effects it has on your health,” Kacere said.

The two scoured the country for over a year to find the perfect health drink they could replicate here in Tulsa. The name they chose for their Tulsa business, Ediblend, is more than a moniker—it’s a method. 

“We make a big distinction between juicing and what we do, which is blending,” Kacere said. “Juicing strictly uses only the juice of vegetables and fruits. We blend up the entire fruit and vegetable, minimizing waste and maximizing flavor. You end up with a more satiating blend.”

Ediblend, which was previously known as Nourish Café, moved to Utica Square and has recently acquired a south Tulsa store at 101^st and Sheridan. If you still like to chew your vegetables, Ediblend’s grab-and-go options like vegan taco salad and chocolate acai bowls “make eating healthy a breeze,” Murray said. “Cancer patients, those suffering from inflammation and arthritis and gluten-intolerances have also benefited from our cleanses, blends and salads.”  

Nutrify Juice Bar & Café
8931 S. Yale Ave.

Nutrify is another new juice contender on the block, which opened in August 2016 in a swanky collection of stores at 91^st and Yale. Justin Brown, inspired by his extensive experience as a personal trainer and lifelong student of physical fitness, opened Nutrify not because it was the best business idea in his home of Tulsa. 

“I knew this would be a tough go, but I also truly believe with education, people will start realizing how vital this kind of nutrition is for their bodies,” Brown said.

For Brown, it’s not just about getting more fruits and vegetables in your body but, specifically, organic produce.

“I think people should juice only if it is organic. And the reason is because we don’t want to flood ourselves with pesticides while trying to rid ourselves of toxins.”

Juicing is used often by people who are looking to detoxify, which Brown believes is important for people to do regularly.

“Everyone needs to juice cleanse at least one day every month,” he said. “The one day per month cleanse gives our bodies that chance to gain vital nutrients and let’s our bodies concentrate on detoxing itself at an optimal level with optimal nutrients.” 

Nutrify is also a café and has a selection of organic breakfast items—like the tropical goji berry parfait—and a selection of all-organic wraps and soups for lunch and dinner. There are also some pre-packaged nuts and seeds, berries, teas and coffees. The Nutrify team is looking to add meal prep along with new food items soon.

For more from Angela, read her story on Royal Dragon Chinese buffet.