Bonnie Mulligan
According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, consuming at least 2.5 cups of fruits and veggies per day can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. For many people, one of the top benefits of juicingis that it’s an easy way to reach those nutrition goals. But while most people love the taste of fruit, veggies don’t always get the adoration they deserve. They provide important fiber and nutrients while often being low in sugar, so they’re a valuable component of any healthy diet. If your customers aren’t keen on the idea of green juice, however, they might not be making the great choices they need to power them through the day. Fortunately, there are a few sneaky ways to convince your customers that eating veggies can be totally enjoyable (and totally unconscious!).
Incorporate Veggies Into Non-Green Juices
If your regular customer base tends to be more of a strawberry-banana crowd than a celery-and-kale one, you might have a tough time selling those vibrantly green products. The solution? Incorporate veggies into juices that don’t have that emerald tinge. You can easily hide spinach or kale in a juice of a different hue, providing you use other ingredients that can provide the color (like carrots, beets, or lots of other pigment-rich fruits). If you don’t market the juice as green and the color doesn’t give it away, they may discover they actually enjoy the taste of those vegetables! Just whip up some new recipes in your commercial juice machines without highlighting the vegetable components — you might be surprised by the positive reaction.
Add Vegetables to Sweet Smoothies
If your customers love the taste of fresh fruit juice and smoothies already, you can easily add inconspicuous vegetables into your existing recipes to help them get more out of their regular order. Because there are lots of flavors and smoothies are generally a bit creamier, there are even more opportunities to sneak them in. If you highlight the fruit ingredients and downplay the vegetables, they might not even realize that they’re getting their daily dose of greens. The sound of a vegetable smoothie might not be appealing, but the taste certainly will be! Don’t be afraid to be innovative with your smoothie bar equipment here. If you can blend it and it tastes great, you’re good to go.
If You Serve Food, Add Veggie Offerings
We all know the benefits of juicing — that’s why your customers probably come to you in the first place. But you may not want to limit your offerings only to juice or smoothies. It’s nice to have some variety, particularly if you can put a healthy twist on a breakfast or a snack option. If your establishment serves food (or plans to in the future), consider adding menu items that showcase vegetables in unique and tantalizing ways. Think beyond the seaweed salad and the vegetable platter. Maybe a hummus chock full of veggies or a veggie wrap that showcases local ingredients could be just the thing to get your customers to spend more and invest more in their health at the same time.
When customers aren’t inclined to be adventurous, that’s when your creativity can really shine. By adding more vegetables to your menu offerings, you’ll allow your customers to experience all the benefits of juicing without limiting themselves to fruit alone.
