A SQUEEZE of goodness!

“Almost 1kg of fruits and vegetables go into making 300 ml of Rawsqueezed juice” says Tess James of RAWSQUEEZED.

With refreshing cold pressed juices delivered to your doorstep, RAWSQUEEZED and its army of five have been making waves in Cochin. The moment I saw the ad for their website on Facebook, I knew I had to try the product. Enter into a cheery website that offered a cornucopia of juices from the simple (Pure Carrot and Pure Orange) to complex concoctions (Liver Lover- Baby Spinach, Carrot and Celery and ABC- Apple Beetroot and Carrot). The wide varieties have one thing in common; they are absolutely delicious and hearty!

“We were a bunch of friends who love great food and always wanted to start a food related business. After several discussions and research, we came to conclude that quality fresh juice delivered home was a niche that was waiting to be filled. We started digging into recipes and consulting nutritionists about a year back. Six months ago SARUN MURALI, Founder imported the required cold press machinery to Cochin and we had a soft launch on April 6^th”, shares Tess  who is the brand consultant, content writer, and advisor to RawSqueezed. She works with alternative movements and ideologies close to earth, community and self-care.   

Cochin has been a slightly tough nut to crack when it comes to innovative products, especially the ones lean toward a heavier price range. Rawsqueezed first hit Infopark with a selection of their juices, talking to customers about the health benefits each mix offered and by two in the afternoon, they were completely sold out! With awareness spreading amongst Kochiities, the number of bottles sold slowly started to rise, and with many loyalists ordering juice daily, Rawsqueezed will be starting subscriptions from next month on.

Pure Pomegranate

“I think the biggest challenge we have faced is the feedback about the pricing range of our products” says Tess as she divulges into the amount of effort taken to produce each bottle of juice. First off, the difference between a regular juicer and a cold press machine needs to be understood. In the former, fruits and vegetables need to be mercilessly chopped up and ground bringing about a large amount of wastage. In the latter however fruits and veges can be added whole (skinned) and the machine ensures that every drop of juice is extracted. The remaining waste can be used as bio compost. To get a better idea about how a cold press machine works, visit this link:COLD PRESS MACHINE

More than the amount of wastage, the way the juice tastes in both methods is extremely different. Juices from cold press machines taste vastly fresher, thicker and almost alive! It leaves one invigorated and refreshed!

The quality and safety aspect of fruits and vegetables used for juices is another concern raised by customers. The company is hoping to build their own organic farm source in the near future but for the time being, only the choicest fruits and vegetables (seasonally available) are sterilized and detoxified before it hits the machine. “70% of the so called ‘organic’ produce available in the markets are a sham. In the current scenario, having juice would be considered safer than having a fruit or vegetable whole!” says Tess.

We are joined by Chef James Antony who has over 10 years of experience working with major hotel brands from the likes of Sheraton, Dubai to Taj, India. Pursuance of his food dream lead to him joining the Rawsqueezed team and has been juicing up a storm ever since!  “Rawsqueezed is not just about throwing some raw ingredients together. There is a lot of tasting and balancing of flavours to be made before the product reaches the customer. We use no sugar or preservatives and produce juices aimed not just at quenching thirst but to provide specific health benefits” says Chef James. “For example, COLD BREEZE: Cucumber, Pineapple and Mint is great to ease joint pain, KIWI LOVE- Kiwi, Green Apple, Cucumber and Mint is chockfull of Vitamin C and MIRACLE GREEN- Spinach, Parsley, Cucumber, Lemon, Green Apple and Celery is a Vitamin and Antioxidant factory!”

The team however makes it clear that no amount of fresh juice would substitute a good, healthy food filled with fibre. Raw Squeezed promotes a ‘HEAL YOUR GUT’ option on their website which has an array of detox juices that help your body get the adequate rest it requires.

ABC

The team is planning to add Kottayam, Calicut and Trivandrum into their range of delivery but for the time being they plan to create more awareness and attain more customers in Cochin. With the concept of holistic living and natural hygiene in mind, Rawsqueezed has in mind to include smoothies, a variety of nut milks, chia seeds and cococnut milk based drinks in the near future. They are currently researching good options for drinks during the monsoon.

Pure Carrot

“The community needs to be educated. People need to understand the wealth of goodness our products offer. Cold pressed juice is raw and hence is teeming with live enzymes, carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. With Rawsqueezed, you get your daily target of required nourishment from fruits and vegetables for your body in its most easily absorbable form.”

Cold Breeze

Chef James had brought me three juices to try: ABC- Apple, Beetroot and Carrot, PURE CARROT and COLD BREEZE. I was a little skeptical about the mix of fruits and vegetables but oh wow! It was so good! Rich and thick with the sweetness of Apple and Carrot and an earthy tang of beet,  ABC was a hearty drink. PURE CARROT has become a favorite drink period! It tastes smooth, sweet and nourishing. COLD BREEZE was like a invigorating whisper of cucumber with the sweetness of Pineapple highlighted with fresh mint.

Miracle Green

I am a fan and constant customer. End of story!

For more details/ to place an order, visit: RAWSQUEEZED

Other team member details:

-          SARUN MURALI (Founder)- A vegetarian by choice and an avid cold presser at home, Sarun started the project in early 2016. Passionate about food and owner of Shradha Speciality Products, he has been dreaming about into the business of food for many years.

-          JAYADEV SUKUMARAN (Marketing Manager)- With over 14 years of experience in sales and marketing, Jayadev joined rawsqueezed with the understanding that his wealth of experience and capacity to learn quickly in new environments would help his close friend’s dream venture.

-          JOJI BABU (Delivery Manager)- Handles deliveries across Cochin. With more than 8 years of experience in sales and marketing, his patience and jovial attitude comes highly valued at Rawsqueezed.

-          AJITH (Technical Consultant)- also known as the “Machine Doctor” at Rawsqueezed, he takes care of the cold press and is an ingenious technician.