Question | Hi Katie, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and the work you do?
Answer | Hello, I’m the co-founder of Greenroots Juicery which my husband and I started back in 2014. We started sharing our cold pressed, organic juices, mylks and tonics at local Christchurch markets, and from there have gone on to sell New Zealand wide with home delivery via our online store. From the beginning I’ve been incredibly passionate about creating the juices, combining local and seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs to bring a balanced alchemy of elixirs to market. Our test kitchen has looked like a chemist lab over the years with trying out multiple concoctions to get our loved juices today. In the last 8 years I’ve worked on the floor hand pressing, hand labeling, packaging and dispatching orders alongside working in customer service, product development, website development, marketing and every job you can imagine.
Today I am now 33, a Mother of my daughter Esme Juniper and have another child on the way due December 2022. Life looks a lot different now, yet the same passion remains and I help assist our team wherever I can.
Question | What inspired you to start your business?
Answer | We started Greenroots Juicery as a vessel to share the healing source of nature with our Organic Juice Cleanses and Juice Packs. My passion for sharing products that supported everyday wellness began from years of suffering from food related auto-immune diseases. I found that by switching to a predominantly organic plant based diet I could heal and even reverse ill-health. With so few authentic and healthy juices available in our community I realised
we had to spread our best secrets to help drive the health revolution.
Question | What are some of the things that you love about your business?
Answer | I love that our products are truly natural, organic and cruelty free. Everything we make is cold-pressed, predominantly organic and made locally with love in Otautahi Christchurch from where we ship New Zealand wide. I love how sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Greenroots. We buy from local New Zealand growers where our juices are pressed from the freshest seasonal produce. This both reduces our environmental impact and supports local communities. We have always poured our raw juice into 100% recyclable and reusable glass bottles. I love our goal to be 100% waste free by reusing and repurposing our produce pulp. Currently approximately 20% of our produce pulp is re-purposed for other health food products. Having a high fibre content, with minerals and vitamins still alive and intact, our raw organic pulp makes a great addition to many health food products. The remaining 80% of our produce pulp is used for compost, improving the soil of our land and livestock. I also love the positive feedback we receive from our customers. When I hear about transformational results and stories of people healing with our products from the inside out, that brings me so much joy!
Question | Can you tell us about the process of how you make your juices and what makes them different to other juices on the market?
Answer | Not all juices are made equal, which is why we’ve set out to create a tailored offering including the most authentic juices and organic cleanses. Greenroots is without a doubt one of the highest quality and nutritionally rich juices you can have. Our juice is 100% raw and cold-pressed. Our unique cold-pressing process extracts the living enzymes, vitamins, and minerals from fruits, vegetables and nuts to produce the smoothest, most delicious and healthy juice you’ll ever taste. More potent, dense in texture, with a vibrant taste, and greater health benefits for the most nutritious juice and cleanse you'll ever taste. Our juice is made from cold-pressing organic produce, bottled in glass and refrigerated to retain all its natural goodness, allowing the juice to be drunk over a number of days without losing integrity and fulfilling its nutritional purpose.
Question | What are some of the key health benefits that you think raw organic juices can give people?
Answer | Brighter eyes, clearer skin, more mental clarity and better everyday performance is just the beginning. If you crave all the ‘naughty stuff’ then this is a great way to kick-start healthier habits, get your glow on and generally feel lighter and brighter! 1 - 2 kgs of produce go in to make a 300ml bottle of juice which is bursting full of living enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help support inside-out radiance. If you’re not feeling your best self, we recommend cleansing for 3 days + for best results. Or if you haven’t tried our juices before, a 1 day cleanse is a great place to start or a juice pack to keep in your fridge as a daily pick-me-up.
Question | Can you describe your philosophy on skincare?
Answer | My skincare philosophy is super simple. I mostly take care of my skin through my intake of fresh, whole, vibrant plant foods, plenty of clean water, and sleep. I don’t wear any foundation so I focus on keeping my skin calm and hydrated. I do tend to get dry skin so I’m a huge fan of oils - I use coconut or sesame oil on my body after dry body brushing and showering. Whenever I feel my skin looks a bit dull I indulge in the Tailor range of products and undergo an organic juice cleanse.
Question | What skincare advice would you give to your 15-year-old self?
Answer | Let go of the pressure to have perfect blemish-free skin that you see in magazines, and understand that all skin is different and that’s okay. Freckles are beautiful, and so are wrinkles and sun spots. Ditch makeup and skincare products that are full of ingredients you can’t eat or pronounce, stick to natural ingredients and do your research on brands before investing. Choose natural, authentic and quality skincare products instead of hiding your skin with poor-quality foundations and makeup. Educate yourself on eating fresh, local, organic and seasonal produce to feel amazing and have glowing skin from the inside out.