How Pressed Brings Contemporary Juice And Well being To Its Communities

As demand for sustainable merchandise grows, so does the checklist of corporations working to fulfill it. From clothes to magnificence to residence enchancment, each shoppers and firms are involved about how the objects we use every single day have an effect on the well being of the planet. On the subject of what we eat and drink, nonetheless, there’s a distinctive alternative to positively impression the well being of the person in addition to the planet. Pressed is an instance of a model whose mission encompasses each of those.

From juice closet to grocery retailer shelf

Pressed began out greater than a decade in the past in LA as what it likes to name a “juice closet,” and has since grown into a life-style model that sells cold-pressed juices and wholesome treats in grocery shops, on-line, and at its greater than 100 retail shops throughout the nation. It focuses on making plant-based consuming and nutrient-dense meals extra accessible and inexpensive – in comparison with, say, what you would possibly discover at an upscale juice store in a giant metropolis like New York or LA – which is its acknowledged mission.

And whereas Pressed’s merchandise are by definition targeted on serving to individuals reside more healthy lives, it’s also making admirable strides in contributing to a more healthy planet. The corporate remains to be based mostly in LA and its manufacturing facility is within the Central Valley, the place it companions with farmers and suppliers to supply its vegetables and fruit domestically. This helps streamline manufacturing to cut back the corporate’s carbon footprint and improve the freshness of its merchandise. Due to this extraordinarily brief provide chain, its juices could be bottled in as little as three days—what they seek advice from as “farm to bottle.”

A wonderfully imperfect partnership

Pressed can be working towards its aim of a net-positive enterprise by utilizing seasonal produce and “imperfect” vegetables and fruit, which now make up greater than half its produce. Doing so has already saved 11.5 million kilos of produce that will possible have ended up in landfills. Its present aim is to succeed in 85 % imperfect produce for its merchandise.

In accordance with its Chief Advertising Officer, Michelle Peterson, Pressed baked this type of sustainability into the enterprise from the start, despite the fact that on the time that was not but a development. The corporate’s founders determined to accomplice with farmers to purchase produce that was in any other case going to waste and switch it into their cold-pressed juice. “It is now extra branded as ‘imperfect produce,’ she says, “nevertheless it actually wasn’t then.” The corporate noticed the chance to cut back waste within the meals system, says Peterson, and took it.

Pressed’s efforts towards a round manufacturing course of carry over into its packaging. It not too long ago transformed a number of of its bottles to half or entire recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and anticipates that this can collectively save greater than 300,000 kilos of plastic yearly—a 30 % discount within the firm’s use of virgin plastic. Its transport containers are sustainably crafted and recyclable, together with the field liners, and – maybe most spectacular – its ice packs are made to be recycled as plant meals.

A really urgent situation

Whereas initially, Pressed’s founders had been on the lookout for a approach to make it simpler for individuals get extra vegetables and fruit into their weight loss plan, the corporate is now additionally taking over the bigger situation of meals inaccessibility in communities which can be labeled as “meals deserts”—the place residents don’t have prepared entry to wholesome meals and recent produce.

“The very core of this model has all the time been giving again. Our founders did it for a very long time and did not actually speak about it. Now, with each marketing campaign we do, we do a give-back,” says Peterson. One in every of her favorites, she says, was Pressed’s most up-to-date Black Historical past Month marketing campaign. The aim was to boost consciousness about meals inaccessibility—and cash to donate to the trigger.

The corporate partnered with three Black feminine artists in Dallas, LA, and New York, who created art work for limited-edition labels for Pressed merchandise. The corporate used the gross sales proceeds to buy group meals fridges in the identical markets the place the artists promote their work. Their designs had been additionally featured on tote baggage, which had been provided to group members for carrying residence their meals from the fridges, and had been additionally offered in Pressed shops to boost extra cash.

This partnership, Peterson says, was the corporate’s manner of claiming “We would like this to be a life-style, however we additionally perceive it is a greater situation within the US, and we wish to contribute to that as effectively.” As with every systemic situation, the best impression is all the time discovered the place an answer is required most and Pressed is dedicated to making sure plant-based consuming and nutrient-dense meals is as accessible and inexpensive for the widest variety of communities.

In case you’d prefer to dive deeper with extra purpose-led corporations like Pressed, take a look at the Lead with We podcast right here, in order that you can also construct an organization that transforms client habits and our future.