Tucked away down a long corridor of the Falchi Building in Long Island City, a haven of health and wellness prepares and bottles raw cold-pressed juice, from potent ginger shots that awaken the senses to fresh juice blends that provide a much-needed glow from the inside out.
Juice Press, located at 31-00 47th Ave. in Long Island City, first settled its factory’s roots in Queens in 2014, after expanding from a small 1800 square foot space in the West Village to the expansive 30,000 square foot super kitchen that they have today, where they prepare the brand’s fresh juice blends along with acai bowls, soups, and other plant-powered meals, made preservative-free for their over two dozen locations throughout New York City.
The brand’s dedication to clean, healthy food to boost the body and mind fits seamlessly with today’s beauty and health trends for health, mood, and longevity, but back in 2012, the concept was not necessarily at the forefront of New Yorkers’ priorities, who usually tend to gravitate more toward quick and on-the-go rather than slow and mindful.
“When we started, it was very niche, now I think Gen Z is really starting to catch on to it,” said the brand’s CEO, Michael Karsch. “It’s cool to see what people care about, and I definitely think smoothies and bowls have grown a lot [in popularity].”
The wellness brand was founded in 2010 by Muay Thai fighter Marcus Antebi to give him the boost and nutrients he needed to support recovery from hard training, including sparring and competing. Karsch, who had a career in the hedge fund business, became involved in 2012 after his own diet-and-lifestyle revamp, following an annual physical when he learned despite appearing healthy and active, that he didn’t have the bill of health he imagined.
“I had a checkup, and while I was in good health, I had the bio markings, so to speak, of somebody who could have heart issues later on,” said Karsch. “No one would have realized it because I looked fine, so it scared me, and it caused me to change my diet; I figured to be able to do this would help everybody.”
Juice Press has since expanded to a major brand with 28 locations and partnerships with Equinox, SoulCycle, Nutralfol and Soho Strength Lab, in addition to limited edition collaborations with an array of beauty, health and wellness brands. Their production facility is their sole Queens location; however, customers can purchase food and drink there as well as obtain the health-focused items through Too Good to Go, a brand that works to combat food waste through working with restaurants and cafes and letting customers purchase food up to 65% off that would normally go to waste by the end of the business day.
“We’re proud to be part of Too Good to Go,” said Karsch. “This is definitely our most popular Too Good to Go location, and I’m always excited to see who shows up.”
The factory, which operates five days a week, includes a process of cleaning their fruits and vegetables thoroughly before being pressed, mixed, and bottled. From there, the bottles are brought to one of their facilities in New Jersey, where a machine applies thousands of pounds of pressure to the bottles, killing the bad bacteria so no preservatives are added, and the juice generally has a shelf life of about 30 days.
“There are a lot of brands out there in the supermarket, doing 60 to 90 days,” said Karsch. “We don’t do that; most of our juices are sold in the first couple of weeks, so that’s why you can tell the difference between us and other brands.”
Their dedication to plant-based, organic, and non-GMO products, including eliminating processed sugars, dairy, and artificial preservatives from their menu, has built a reputation for them on NYC’s wellness scene, and the brand has a list of juices and meals that are perfect for combating winter ailments, from immunity boosters to juices for hydration, energy, and more.
“Ginger Fireball and the Rehab Shots are always our top sellers in the winter,” said Karsch. “During Covid, we were selling thousands of them, but it’s continued to be popular with the bad flu season this year. In general, the Moon Juices are very positive for the skin.”
Juice Press can be found in supermarkets and stores throughout NYC, and for those who’d like to explore their fresh food, from lunch items like falafel sandwiches and smoothie bowls, to hearty soups for the winter, there are plenty of locations to satisfy your hunger and nourish your body. For the remainder of January, customers can get 20% off any 3+ items, including snacks like dried mango and trail mix.
“I think you can tell when somebody is dedicated to a healthy lifestyle, and it manifests itself in a number of ways,” said Karsch. “It’s nice to see that niche growing into a broader acceptance in a lot of cities.”
To learn more about Juice Press or find a location near you, visit their website or follow them at @juicepress.
