Peak Press Juicery, a local organic juice shop, celebrated its one-year anniversary with a heartwarming ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Longmont Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.
The June 20 occasion was a significant moment for the business and attracted a supportive crowd, including friends, family and members of the community.
Over the past year, Peak Press Juicery has been operated by the dedicated husband-and-wife team, Stephanie and Doyle Leach. The ribbon-cutting symbolized the recognition of their hard work and the positive impact they've had on the local community through their health-conscious offerings.
"Reflecting on our journey from starting in a shared commercial kitchen, delivering fresh juice in April 2022, and then opening this storefront in July 2022, it's incredible to see where we've landed," said Stephanie Leach, a certified juice therapist and health coach. "Seeing everyone here to support us makes it all the more special."
Since its inception, Peak Press Juicery has been steadfast in its mission to make fresh, raw, organic juices and non-dairy milks easily accessible to the community. The Leach's commitment to promoting healthier lifestyles has only been reaffirmed with this milestone event.
"It is new and exciting. I've been a certified health coach and had a health coaching practice for years but have never been in food service or hospitality,” Stephanie Leach said. “So, running a retail establishment with food is totally new, and I wasn't sure if I would like it, but I love it. I love serving my customers. We believe in our product, and we love serving our guests."
When Peak Press Juicery first started, operations were conducted out of a commissary kitchen building. The Leaches would prepare all their produce in a nearby prep kitchen, manufacture their juices, bottle them and then carefully pack them in coolers filled with ice. Following this routine, every Sunday evening was dedicated to delivering these freshly pressed juices to their eagerly awaiting customers.
"We grind organic produce into really tiny pieces and then press it between two giant steel plates on a press and squeeze with thousands of pounds of pressure. All the juice is extracted out of the produce this way," Stephanie Leach said. "The juice you see sold in grocery stores in smaller bottles is high-pressure pasteurized. When you do that, you use pressure to pasteurize instead of heat, which is better than a heat pasteurized juice. But you lose all the live enzymes. The benefits of raw juice are that it's living, it's alive, and hasn't been treated in any way to diminish any of its value.”
Stephanie Leach's book, "The Complete Juicing Recipe Book," provides 360 vibrant recipes for wholesome juices. It's a comprehensive guide that replaces coffee routines, caters to daily needs, and covers juice therapy, selection of juicers and understanding the health benefits of each ingredient.
"We do develop them ourselves. I wrote a book, so I have plenty of recipes up my sleeve. We also work with other juice bars to help develop recipes that are good for the community, have many health benefits and make sense for our operation," Stephanie Leach added.
Balancing full-time careers alongside their juice business, Stephanie and Doyle distribute their roles effectively. Doyle Leach handles a significant portion of the juicing, particularly during his workdays, while Stephanie Leach manages the business side and marketing efforts. Despite both maintaining full-time jobs, Stephanie Leach splits her time between working remotely and being on-site at the juice shop to serve customers.
Different mixtures of juices are available to address different health benefits, and Stephanie Leach believes in using the rainbow of produce colors to provide various phytonutrients. However, creating these mixtures also comes with aesthetic considerations.
"When you mix red and green together, you get brown, and juices have to look as attractive and delicious as they taste," Stephanie Leach pointed out.
As Stephanie Leach cut the celebratory ribbon amidst applause and cheers, she expressed gratitude to the community and excitement for the future.
“We're really excited about our plans for the coming year. We're passionate about the health benefits of juicing fruits and vegetables and we're gonna be expanding our menu to be able to support our customers and clients. We want to sincerely thank our friends and family, and our community for their enthusiasm. It's really invaluable to us.”
