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Alton Cunningham is on a mission to help people boost their energy and strength.
As a professional mixed martial artist (MMA) fighter and fitness coach, Cunningham was looking for something to take his health up a notch and compliment his vegan lifestyle. He began juicing and, last February, started a company called Juiceify.
“I was looking for something to reset,” said Cunningham. “Juicing was a quick way for me to get vitamins and minerals.”
Juicing removes the juice from fresh fruits and vegetables, which can be done by hand, with a cold press or a motor-powered juicer.
“If you don’t like eating raw vegetables, and you're one of those people who have a hard time eating vegetables in general, then juicing is for you,” said Cunningham.
Juiceify currently makes two flavors of cold-pressed juices: The Revitalizer and Orange Passion. The Revitalizer consists of bok choy, celery, cucumber, green apple, pineapple and lemon. Orange Passion has orange, carrot, golden beet and pineapple. Cunningham purchases his ingredients from local grocers, including Woodman’s and the Willy Street Co-op.
Both The Revitalizer and Orange Passion contain a “superfood,” a loosely defined category that includes beans, berries, beets and dark, leafy greens, like bok choy. The flavor of the bok choy, which is in the cabbage family, surprises people, Cunningham said.
“A lot of people don’t think that it tastes good but it blends really well with the apples,” he said.
The Revitalizer is most popular with Cunningham’s customers, and he can see why. “It’s one of those that you can have it any time of the day.” Cunningham himself has a Revitalizer in the morning and sometimes after a workout. He said it’s an instant hydrator.
The Orange Passion is good for after a workout too, thanks to the golden beets. “Beets are really really good for blood cells and your stamina as well,” said Cunningham.
Cunningham processes his juice at Little John’s Kitchen, a nonprofit that aims to increase access to meals for underserved communities. After attending an event at Little John’s with a client, Cunningham connected founder chef Dave Heide. Cunningham said it’s been a good partnership so far.
Customers can pre-order Juiceify juices on Cunningham’s website, juiceifyme.com, and pick them up from Harbor Athletic Club in Middleton on “juice days,” Wednesdays and Fridays.
There are options to order individual bottles (a 12 ounce jar is $8, or four/$30) or sign up for a monthly subscription. The subscription has three levels: 16 jars/$115, 24 jars/$165 or 32 jars/$200.
What’s next for Juiceify? Cunningham has been working on a preservative that will allow him to get his juices on store shelves, as well as ship them to customers. Eventually, he plans to create more flavors.
