Fresh Exposure

Stocking the fridges of more than 400 Canadian retail outlets, Pulp & Press Juice Co. squeezes out a little more hometown visibility

Photo: Pulp & Press Juice Co. president and co-founder, Christian Vemb

LONDON’S PULP & Press Juice Co. is on the move. Last month, the organic cold-pressed juice company relocated from its original home on Central Avenue to a new retail space inside Fire Roasted Coffee Co., at the corner of King and Talbot Streets.

“We were looking for a location with more walk-by traffic,” says Pulp & Press president and co-founder, Christian Vemb.

The shared retail space marks a new strategic partnership between Pulp & Press and Fire Roasted Coffee, which will leverage each company’s ­respective strengths and broaden the reach to local consumers.

Both companies are committed to providing high-quality ­products, notes Dave Cook, president and founder of Fire Roasted Coffee Co.

“Fire Roasted was one of our first wholesale customers. When we were looking for a new location and decided to approach
a like-minded business, they became the obvious choice”
—Christian Vemb

Fire Roasted, founded in 2007, roasts almost exclusively fair trade certified coffees, including 35 types of coffee from around the world as well as specialty blends. Its flagship store on King Street across from Budweiser Gardens is just one of four Fire Roasted locations in London.

Pulp & Press was founded by Vemb and his partner, John Parlow, in 2014. The raw, organic, cold-pressed juices created from a variety of different fruits and vegetables come in 11 different flavour combinations and quickly became a favourite of Londoners looking for a quick and delicious way to improve their diet.

At first, Vemb and Parlow squeezed, blended and ­bottled by hand before moving production into a facility on Wonderland Road. “Once we grew to around 3,000 juices a week, it became too much. We realized if we wanted to continue to grow we would need some help,” Vemb says.

Just over two years ago, Pulp & Press shifted production to a processor in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. The decision allowed the company to manage rapid expansion without sacrificing the quality and integrity of the product, Vemb explains.

The company is now the largest raw juice and cold press producer in Canada, with sales of between 12,000 and 15,000 bottles a week.

Pulp & Press is available in more than 400 retailers across Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta, including national chains like Farm Boy, Metro, Whole Foods and Loblaws.

The company is also in the midst of a pilot project with Coscto. “Right now, our Spicy Lemon flavor is available in a one-litre format in 13 stores,” Vemb says.

But it’s the small, independent retailers who helped put Pulp & Press on the map, and the partnership with Fire Roasted builds on those roots.

“Fire Roasted was one of our first wholesale customers,” says Vemb. “When we were looking for a new location and decided to approach a like-minded business, they became the obvious choice.”

Juice aficionados can now pick up their favourite ­flavour from Fire Roasted’s in-store refrigerator, and those ­looking for a multi-day juice cleanse no longer need to order in advance.

“Fire Roasted always has a full refrigerator of juice, so it’s quick and convenient,” Vemb explains. ““We wholesale the juice, and Fire Roasted sells it. It’s a win-win for both sides.”  Nicole Laidler