I recently sat down and interviewed with Steven Jennings Co-Owner of Sustained Juice. Sustained Juice is Kansas City’s newest juicery taking the city by storm. Read below to learn more about Sustained Juice.
What inspired you to start Sustained Juice (Kansas City)?
It took me a while to realize what I wanted to do. Every day you are trying to figure out your path in life or your niche. I started working out and begin to take different supplements. Then I begin juicing, everyone is on the go constantly. I figured if I came up with something that you can take on the go that is healthy, packaged, and packed with vitamins. I want to change the speed in how we diet. It’s a way for me to spread the same wealth that I kind of earned throughout my journey. And that’s how it began.
What’s the story behind the name Sustained Juice?
Sustained… Just keeping you sustained in your life. Sunday is my day to just relax and retreat. I remember taking a shower and laying down in the dark. All of a sudden it just came to me “juice”! With that I came into the whole juicing element of things. And it’s actually kept me sustained mentally and physically.
What are your bestselling juices?
The menu changes seasonally. The cleanse juices are very popular. The fruit based cleanses are my best sellers. The black plum rosemary coconut, cardamom pineapple and saffron, and watermelon, grapefruit, pink Himalayan sea salt and chipotle are very popular as well.
How do you come up with the flavor combinations?
I am constantly thinking. I love knowledge, especially when it comes to food. You eat, you smell, you taste, and you enjoy it. And that’s how you fool your body into over eating. However like I said, I tend to pull apart everything. I believe by knowing each individual flavor profile you figure out a way to balance it. Such as the juices with garlic, I finely mince them into the juice. Also, the juices with turmeric and ginger are the most powerful, nutrient, dense, and beneficial. I consider myself a mixologist when it comes to juices.
How does Sustained Juice stand out from some of the companies here The Filling Station and T. Loft?
In a big way, there is a time and a place for every juicer and every juicery. I am the first cold press, 100% true cold press. I also add herbs, spices, and minerals to my juices mixed with creativity as well. I want to travel the world and try to introduce new flavors. I believe that in itself stands out. It’s not just simple produce, although I do have the apple, beat, carrot, and ginger. But I can’t put a completely crazy menu out there. But I love for people to try new things… So I slowly introduce them and it’s been well received. Also, our menu changes seasonally as well. For instance, the strawberries are not as sweet this time of the year.
What’s next for Sustained Juice?
I figure I take it day by day, this is still ever growing. I love cooking, so eventually I will tap into that. When the summer comes a lot of new flavors will be introduced. We are experimenting with water caper, more nutrient based, also some raw noshery. We try to keep it as raw as we can. We are experimenting with a sports line as well. I love learning and trying out new things. My main focus is getting my products out and getting it perfect. I want change lives. Right now, we are looking for a brick and mortar location as well. We have an online store with scheduling for delivery Monday through Wednesday. We may have some pickup locations as well. Our juices are not pasteurized; they have a three day shelf life.
What’s my take?
Mr. Jennings has a strong background in the hospitality and restaurants industry, through that you can see his passion for culinary learning. He spoke candidly about his love of food and wanting to change the way we eat. He mentioned that some people grow up on eating unhealthy food and if you have the right combinations you can create great tasting healthy food you’ll love. My mouth began to water as he rambled off a deliciously simple peanut salad recipe (listed below). I felt as if he is a creative, yet wonderful mad scientist when it comes to juice flavor combinations. His co-owner also assists in the approval of those flavors. In the end, Sustained Juice creatively sets itself apart of other juiceries here in Kansas City. Lastly, my favorite juice is the activate charcoal, pear, and thyme!
Steven Jennings’s Cucumber Peanut Salad Recipe:
- Dice Cucumber
- Chopped raw peanuts
- Lots of Cumin
- Shallot
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Olive Oil
- Lemon
Dice the cucumber, chop raw peanuts, add cumin, sliced shallots, chopped parsley and cilantro, add olive oil, and fresh lemon. Then let marinate with roasterie chicken for protein. Enjoy!
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