Down the corridors of the forty fifth Parallel constructing, the commercial metallic and neutral-toned inside lends itself to many small places of work. However within the far again, one house is vibrant orange, with one wall adorned with fake straw texture, cabinets and containers of juice. This pop of brightly coloured juice paradise is Teja Juice Firm, owned by a Latina aunt and niece duo.
For Belen Lopez-Delgado and her aunt, Eva Lara Lopez − additionally an proprietor of Paloma’s Taqueria − enhancing folks’s well being was the basis of the thought.
To Good Well being
“We went into it with totally different concepts, however one of many largest was that I used to be seeing the dearth of fruit and veggies in our diets,” Belen stated. “What higher solution to make issues extra enjoyable and contemporary than to juice them?”
The Lopezes knew of the advantages of juice early on, as the advantages they reaped from day by day consumption had been additionally one of many causes they selected juice particularly.
Eva stated she feels higher after she has one, particularly after a current surgical procedure left her unable to eat stable meals throughout restoration. The choice of getting a wholesome and nutritious juice was useful for her restoration, she stated.
Belen additionally stated her mother and different household and associates have stated they really feel higher as nicely, and had no thought juice might be so useful when so many available on the market are sugary and have components like colours, preservatives and the like.
Teja’s juices encompass fruit and veggies and are impressed by the aguas naturales, which is roughly translated to Mexican freshwater, Belen defined. Different merchandise to return quickly embody smoothies, smoothie bowls and palettas Mexicanas (Mexican popsicles), which is able to develop into accessible on a rolling foundation because the climate warms.
“We wish to see our prospects have wholesome, pure gadgets at their disposal,” Eva stated. “We have labored actually exhausting, and (Belen) has finished nicely at with the ability to make every drink a particular one, along with her personal particular contact, so each buyer will get what they need.”
Leer en español:Latina crea juguería Teja Juice Co en Salem; promueve mejor salud con frutas y verduras
Making Well being Accessible
When the thought of a juice store is introduced up, the imagery that involves thoughts could also be of fancy minimalistic retailers seen in Los Angeles with stuffy clientele and closely overpriced drinks. However Belen stated that stuffy, obnoxiously inaccessible “vibe” is what Teja is making an attempt to go in opposition to.
“You consider that vibe, and I do not agree with that – like in any respect,” Belen stated. “I believe that the tradition behind our accessibility is encompassing of every part; I would like Teja to be welcoming not simply by way of id like race, age gender, however to be inclusive to everybody as attainable. You need not look a sure approach or dwell a sure way of life to have contemporary fruit and veggies, which I believe lots of people suppose they should be, but it surely’s in our primary meals pyramid!
“I simply need you to get your fruit and veggies,” Belen stated, laughing.
Teja’s juices are 100% fruit and veggies, and vary from inexperienced juices (Candy Inexperienced has apples, pears, cucumber, kale and lemon) to different vibrant vegetable colours like beet crimson (Contemporary Beet) and carrot orange (Citrus Carrot Mix) amongst different juice sorts.
Each 16 oz juice is a flat $8. Having reasonably priced pricing for juice was one in every of Belen’s objectives as a result of individuals who need a good, wholesome drink can “nonetheless have one thing wholesome, however style good and nonetheless be accessible.”
For the Tradition
Teja Juice Co., is called after the roofing tiles on Spanish clay homes seen in Mexico and the southern U.S. The general vibrant orangey theme stems from a terracotta motif, because the juice store’s countertop is product of stucco.
Belen stated this was all impressed by her grandparents’ homes, so it was becoming for household and tradition to be current in every part for a family-owned and run juice store.
Eva, as one of many homeowners of Paloma’s Taqueria, stated the transition from taco truck to juice store has been utterly totally different, however she’s managed to merge the cultures, tied with their Hispanic background, collectively.
“It is lots of work and energy (to be each on the taco truck and juice store),” Eva stated. “However we (at Teja) have a great staff.”
Establishing in the course of the pandemic
Teja was an concept that began lengthy earlier than a marketing strategy was ever written.
In 2019, the thought of a juice store was one thing that Belen and Eva bounced round every time they noticed one another at household gatherings or bumped into one another. They’d get excited, work just a little bit on it as they balanced their full-time jobs, after which cease till they noticed one another once more and obtained re-inspired. In 2020, Eva lastly sat Belen down and stated it was attainable to make their daydream a actuality.
“We had been ready, after the little issues we would finished, and simply obtained to it,” Belen stated.
From there, they began leases and had been launched to the areas contained in the forty fifth Parallel constructing, which they settled on because it “has a lot potential to develop,” Belen stated.
With a lease they signed in early 2021, getting development accomplished and tools for the house was the identical expertise as different new eating places: a ready recreation. Sufficient was prepared in November for Teja to have a comfortable opening, with not a lot posted on social media or shared broadly attributable to wanting to verify they’d sufficient stock.
“Actually every part has been quick,” Belen stated. “Typically the shops aren’t as stocked or the produce is not as contemporary so now we have to attend longer for sure substances. Initially I needed to promote with glass bottles, as a result of it is extra sustainable and higher for the surroundings, however with the scarcity their costs rose and it wasn’t doable.”
As Belen is finalizing the smoothie recipes, she stated she and Eva are excited for the eventual rollout of different merchandise. In addition they simply launched their web site for folk to have the ability to order a restricted choice of juices on-line to choose up on the storefront.
“We’re each working exhausting to have the ability to proceed,” Eva stated. “We simply wish to thanks all for trusting and coming to help Latin-owned companies, our neighborhood in Salem and past.”
For more information on Teja, yow will discover them on their website, tejajuiceco.com or observe them on Instagram, @tejasjuiceco.
Deal with: 2195 Hyacinth St NE Ste 108
