04 Mr. Kounori / Representative of SUNSHINE JUICE
PROFILE
Born in Japan, she has lived in the U.S. and Taiwan, and with her own experiences in veganism and endurance sports, she launched Japan's first cold-pressed juice specialty store "SUNSHINE JUICE". Now, through "SUNSHINE JUICE", she is interested in various events and realizing sustainable projects one after another to bring awareness not only to human health, but also to the environment and plants.
Instagram:@sunshinejuicetokyo
Instagram:@nori_kooo
Living only on vegetables increases physical performance.
What made you start cold-pressed juice?
My grandfather is Taiwanese, and I lived in Taiwan when I was in my 20s. Taiwan was originally a Buddhist country, so vegetarianism was very popular and easy to practice, and for about three years I ate only vegetables. I started running at that time and participated in various long endurance races, and my physical performance was very good when I participated in races while eating only plants. I was able to experience the benefits of a plant-based diet there.
Around the same time, cold-pressed juice stands were beginning to appear in the United States, and when I had a glass of cold-pressed juice at a store in New York City, my body reacted very well to it, and I realized that cold-pressed juice was the format in which I could experience the power of plants the most. . And I thought it would be nice to be able to drink juice of this quality in the city.
I don't know if this is a mean question, but there are many machines available for cold-pressed juices. What is different about the SUNSHINE JUICE machine?
Even though the machines are different, the appearance of the liquid that comes out after being squeezed is the same. But the contents are totally different. The most obvious difference is in the squeezed scum. When a proper machine is used, all the scum is squeezed out and the scum is dry. Also, the physical sensation is overwhelmingly different. That's the only way to get people to understand.
The most important thing is to be able to see the face of the person who is making the product.
There are many different ways to grow vegetables, such as organic, organic, etc. , what kind of vegetables do you use?
. Basically, we use organic produce. However, while that is important, it is also important to know who is producing the produce. For example, vegetables that are certified organic, even though I don't know who produced them in a faraway place, or vegetables that are not certified organic, but are produced by a producer whose name I know. . If I had to choose between the two, I would choose the latter. The energy of the grower and the place where they are grown is packed into the vegetable, and I want the customer to feel the environment in which the vegetable was grown in the bottle. I want the customer to feel the environment in which the vegetables were grown by bottling them. I hope to deliver the story behind the vegetables through the juice.
Do you learn a lot from getting to know the farmers?
After visiting with the farmers, I learned that many vegetables are thrown away because of where they are grown or how they look. . We don't really care if they look bad, because we squeeze them and make juice from them. That is why we try to use such ingredients as much as possible. I think I would not have been able to understand and encounter such things if I had not gone to meet the farmers in person.
. So you are also doing your part for the environment through your juices.
However, we are not starting from the idea of "doing something SDG-like". We hope that what we are doing will benefit people's health, and we also hope that SUNSHINE JUICE will be an opportunity for people to become more environmentally conscious. Also, it would be nice if the customers could feel familiar with the stories of the ingredients we use. It is fine to just say that the juice is tasty and healthy, but it is more exciting to be able to explain that the vegetables and fruits were grown by such and such a person in such and such a place.
Are there any other environmental considerations?
. First of all, the bottles used in the store. The bottles used to be made of plastic, but now they are made of glass. We also want to recycle as much as possible the waste from squeezing the juice, so we provide it to brands such as "Lefts," and "EQUALAND" as a dye.
Also, I've recently been passionate about composting the waste from the pressings and using the soil to grow vegetables again. I have great friends in Ichinomiya-cho, Chiba Prefecture, called "the Farmers," who farm and make surfboards at the same time. . Also, the same goes for Ome Farm, a very cool producer who has been good friends of mine for a long time and produces very tasty vegetables in Ome, who collects the press shavings from the store. Also, I'm working on a circular project called "Cosmic Compost," where we make high-quality compost from the shavings and make juice from the powerful vegetables made from the compost. So, we have zero food waste at SUNSHINE JUICE stores.
It makes sense, and it's a wonderful project. By the way, what is the connection between you and MUJI?
I sometimes go to a store in Ebisu station, and I like the selection of bookshelves. There are many food-related books, including one by Alice Waters, who is a favorite of mine. SUNSHINE JUICE also makes frozen vegan soups and curries, and I tried some of the MUJI ones while doing some research, and they are really well made. The size is smaller than most, and the amount is just right for a woman to eat.
What kind of T-shirts do you usually wear?
. Many of them are plain. (Tell them the price of this T-shirt.) This is 990 yen! . That's cheap. . It's also great that it's organic cotton 100% , and it feels good to wear. SUNSHINE JUICE" is the same way. It is important to be good for the environment and the body, but first of all, it is important to be "delicious.
Crew-neck T-shirt woven with irregular yarn jersey 990 yen
The uneven surface of the fabric is light and comfortable on the skin, allowing you to enjoy a rough fit. The loosely knitted fabric is soft and comfortable to wear. The uneven surface of the fabric adds an accent to your outfit. The regular fit silhouette makes it useful as a standard piece.
