Dear Readers,
I recently visited Beans and Greens Juice bar in Kingston with Hannah to try out some of the choices currently on their menu, as well as some dishes which are coming very soon.
Hannah's Usual - Morning Magic My Usual - Ginger |
We got to experience the ambience of the place whilst we waited to speak with Glenda, the co-owner of Beans and Greens who started up the business with her husband Frederik. There was a constant stream of people queuing up for their favourite juice. Even a famous dog came to visit (see below).
Another thing myself and Hannah noticed was the smell circulating around the juice bar which was coming from the freshly baked Cinnamon Buns. They smelt far too good to resist, so we picked up a few and ate them whilst they were still warm.
“The base of this smoothie bowl is avocado, raspberries, strawberries, spinach, beetroot, apple and a splash of vanilla soya milk, topped with cacao nibs, goji berries, coconut chips and bananas. We will soon add four smoothie bowls to our menu, two of which will be aΓ§ai based and we’ll have a selection of different toppings to chose from.
This green smoothie you are about to try is our most popular superfood smoothie; The Greench. We have many regulars that pre-order it, so it’s ready when they stop by on their way into work, great for breakfast."
Acai Bowls coming soon to Beans and Greens (Also pictured: The Greench Smoothie) |
Tell us about how you came to start Beans and Greens?
“I followed my husband's dream. After many years in banking he decided to quit his office job and pursue his passion, so I followed him! He is Swedish, and very much into juicing. Last summer while working on his dream of opening a juice bar he pretty much juiced every piece of fruit and veg he could get his hands on, to test all sorts of mixes and blends.
We opened in November 2016 as a pop-up store, and the pop-up turned permanent in January. We are happy we made this decision, as we’ve received so much support and positivity from the local community.
“At the beginning, it was just Fred's own little project, but as soon as we opened the doors of the shop I realised we needed a team, so we involved the whole family and some extra helping hands!"
Why Kingston?
“We were looking at several locations, then we found this shop in Kingston. We are the only juice bar in Kingston with seating at the moment, so we thought it was a good choice.
Kingston is a great town. It has good shopping, great places to eat and is very close to green areas. We don’t live too far from Kingston and we’ve always enjoyed spending time in the town."
What are your bestsellers?
“The Greench and the Morning Magic are our best-selling superfood smoothies. We have a lot of regulars that come to pick these up as their morning breakfast routine. Another very popular juice is the Eye Opener, which is made of raspberries, ginger and apple; a great combination, very high in vitamin C."
Did you expect the kind of demographic you are currently getting buying your juices?
“We get all sorts of people, basically we attract a lot of people that are conscious of what they eat and drink.
Many young working professionals, students and gym goers. People that have an active lifestyle and are interested in being healthy and fit. Also parents that get their little ones to drink their fruit and greens – our aim is to help the people in Kingston to drink at least one of their ‘five a day’.
We have been collaborating with The Gym, Sweaty Betty and F45 Training in Kingston to get the word out, partnering with people that care about a healthy lifestyle.
Do you think it’s becoming more fashionable for people to be healthier?
“It is fashionable, but it is also the best choice, the best choice for our own bodies. Once you start eating and drinking better you start feeling better, so I hope people see it is more than just a fashion. I hope it will become a way of life because it is such a great habit.
I like people to know that they can make these juices and smoothies at home. There are no hidden ingredients, and I am happy to share how many apples, how much spinach or how many bananas go into each and every drink in our juice bar. This way people can start making what we do here even in their own homes.
A lot of customers tell us they make juices at home, mainly during weekends, as during the week they don’t have time. So they prefer to come and see us for their smoothie or juice fix. We are also working on one and two day juice cleanses for some of our regular customers, which for anyone who doesn't know, is a program of just drinking the juices for one or two days, depending on what they want to try."
Where do you get your produce from?
“We get fresh produce delivered on a daily basis from a local independent supplier. He sources the fruit and vegetables from the New Covent Garden market. We are also thinking of adding a selection of drinks made with local seasonal produce.
It is a challenge as in the UK, because of the weather, not everything grows, but we love experimenting!
In the beginning we really wanted to use the wonky vegetables, the odd ones that big chains don’t sell because they don’t ‘look the part’. The challenge is we go through so much produce that it’s hard just to rely on those suppliers.”
Where do you see the business in five years?
“We would love to expand and bring our lovely juices and smoothies to people in other locations, while keeping the independent and cosy feel. We are happy when our customers ask for advice on what’s good to fight the first signs of a cold or what’s best after a workout. We’ll see what the future will bring for us!"
The colourful chalkboard menu featuring the many juices, smoothies and hot beverages on offer - My regular choice is (5) Ginger which is made with carrots, apple and ginger. |
Fancy making someone else's day a little better? Pay for a suspended coffee and give back to someone in need |
In what ways do you advertise?
“I haven’t actually started properly advertising our juice bar, and so far we have mainly relied on word of mouth. I do use social media to keep people informed of new juices on the menu, opening hours. I also share a lot of posts from our customers that take great pictures of our juices and smoothies. I use mainly Instagram but I’m also active on Facebook and Twitter.
I’ve arranged two after work yoga classes in our shop recently, both sold-out pretty soon after we announced them on social media. I would like to arrange more activities; classes, clubs to involve the community. We’ve made great friends, especially via instagram, and everyone is so supportive.
The next event we have in mind for this summer involves juices and cocktails in Kingston, we’ll keep you posted!.”
Beans and Greens has a simple and welcoming environment |
You can follow The Beans and Greens social media pages here:
I believe it is so important to support growing local businesses, especially when they promote such positive messages.
Beans and Greens is the perfect place for that post-workout pit stop or lunch break alternative from some of the more unhealthy places to find food and drink in Kingston. I am always greeted with a warm welcome when I go there.
So if you pop in, tell them I sent you!
29 Castle Street,
Kingston Upon Thames,
KT1 1ST
Stay Sweet,
Alice xx
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