Flourishing juice maker cleaning up
CURRUMBIN-BASED organic cold-pressed juice company Sol Cleanse has grown in eight years from a tiny operation in Miami to a cultfavourite in the Australian health and wellness industry.
Sol Cleanse was started in 2012 by Miriam ter Borg with a $5000 investment and space in a shared kitchen in Miami.
It delivers juices directly to customers and now turns over $1.4 million annually with devotees across southeast Queensland, northern NSW and most recently in Sydney.
Ms ter Borg said she grew up in a “health conscious” environment before training as a massage therapist and taking an interest in wellbeing.
She started Sol Cleanse as one of the first cold-pressed juice companies on the Coast.
“I’ve always been interested in health and wellbeing and saw an opportunity there,” she said. “We knew juice cleanses were an amazing thing for people to do and there was nothing else like it in the area.
“I know myself how profound the benefits are for people. People have such wonderful experiences and they keep coming back.”
Cold-pressed juice flavours include Energise, with lemon, stevia, cayenne pepper and filtered water, and Joy, with kale,
cucumber, cos lettuce, apple and mint.
Five years ago the business expanded to larger premises in Currumbin where it now has 400sqm, including warehousing space.
Ms ter Borg took on Larrissa Cunningham as her business partner and since then the business has enjoyed such strong success that it has opened a new kitchen in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville.
Because the cold-pressed juices have a four-day shelf life, the company needs production facilities in proximity to its customers and the cafes that sell the juices. The new kitchen only opened a few weeks ago and has already reached a turnover of nearly $20,000.
“We are extremely pleased with how the new venture is going,” Ms ter Borg said.
“Obviously the sales are fantastic but our main focus is to help as many people as we can reset their relationship with food.
“For us, it really is about supporting people ... to refresh and recharge their bodies. That’s why we not only supply the juice for the cleanse, but we also provide cleansers with a program that provides extra support and inspiration with daily emails, meditations, movement practices and worksheets.”
The business also has a focus on sustainability with produce sourced from local farmers.
“For example, all fruit pulp from our juices goes to a farmer in Currumbin Valley – there is no edible fruit waste whatsoever,” Ms Cunningham said.
One of the most popular aspects of the business is the seasonal Group Cleanse, which is being held again from to February 25 to 27 across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Byron Bay and Sydney.
“Our group cleanses offer a way to come together and cleanse alongside like-minded people in our community,” Ms Cunningham said.
“It provides an opportunity for those who feel unsure about doing a juice cleanse to connect with others going through the same journey.”
The business has 10,000 customers in southeast Queensland and northern NSW with 40 cafes selling the juices.