SONOMA, CA - OK, show of hands, who actually gets their full recommended amount of fruits and vegetables every day? I don’t know about you, but my hand didn’t exactly shoot up, and sadly I don’t think I’m alone. In today’s hustle and bustle, many consumers are going through the day not eating as much produce as they’re supposed to—but what if there was an easy and delicious way to get the nutrients you need without, say, tucking into an oversized bowl of salad? Good news, there is! The recently re-named Medlie Wellness Shots contain actual fruits and vegetables—not just the juice—filling a much needed gap in the market. CEO Jen Berliner spoke with me about the company’s recent rebranding and products that are as good for you as they taste.

“Our shots are not juice, they're blended,” she explained. “We use whole organic vegetables to make the shots and we don't strain or press anything out, so you get all of the fiber, all the nutrients—the seeds, the skin, and really the entire vegetable. As a result, every two ounce shot has one dietary serving of vegetables, so there's actually a serving of whole organic vegetables in every little bottle, as well as one gram of fiber. That's pretty different from other shots that are out there which really don't have fiber and often don't even really have vegetables in them. You're getting the functional benefit listed on the front of the bottle, and you end up getting a lot more in the way of nutrients and real, whole food.”

Instead of the standard high-heat pasteurization process Medlie utilizes High Pressure Processing (HPP), a food safety technique that eliminates pathogens and extends shelf life.

Lisa Wessels, JBTAvure’s Chief Marketing Officer explained, “Traditional high-heat pasteurization essentially 'cooks' the product to kill pathogens, but during that process the high heat also degrades taste, texture and nutritional value. HPP uses ultra-high pressure purified cold water to keep packaged food and drinks pathogen-free and to stay fresh longer. Food and beverage are subjected 87,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, the same amount of pressure as six times the deepest part of the ocean. The benefits of HPP are pathogens are destroyed, but food and beverages retain superior taste, texture and nutrition.”

Medlie had already been making plant-based drinks, but the company heard from its customers that, while they loved the feel-good hit of vegetables, they didn’t always want to drink 12 oz of liquid. Enter the Wellness Shots—a concentrated shot of blended veggies and fruit that can be used as a morning pick-me-up, or as a convenient on-the-go option. The shots are USDA Certified Organic, and fit in well with Whole30 or paleo diets, opening up the consumer market even further.

Currently the line offers four distinct flavors with four different health benefits:

• The Digestion Shot is great for gut health and contains tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers
• The Immunity Shot strengthens the body’s immune system and contains carrot, ginger, and turmeric
• The Metabolism Shot is a metabolism boost and contains Jalapeño, kale, cucumber, and pineapple
• The Glow Shot is great for skin and hair and contains cucumber, lemon, celery, and the magical ingredient, collagen

The Glow Shot is my personal favorite and the company’s latest addition to the shot roster. Packed with antioxidants and collagen, the Glow Shot tastes as good as it makes you look and feel.

“You can take the Glow Shot at any time of the day, but we really designed it to be the perfect thing to have first thing in the morning if you're getting cucumber to hydrate, and you're getting lemon to help balance the pH of your body, and collagen is really good for hair, skin, and nails,” said Jen. “It's this ideal little juice to take first thing in the morning that has a serving of veggies in it and collagen to start your day off right. That's our newest and it's been really popular.”

Medlie began as a drinkable soup brand called ZÜPA NOMA, founded by Sonoma Brands, which launched in late 2016. The company received great feedback from its customers about the taste and health benefits of its soups, but were slightly confused about how to enjoy it. The soup came in a ready-to-drink bottle, but consumers weren’t sure if they needed to heat it up or pour it into a bowl first. So, over time the company moved away from soups and gravitated towards wellness drinks and shots, staying true to its mission of making vegetables easy, accessible, and fun.

“Taking the shot is an easy way to be like, ‘Boom, you've gotten a serving of vegetables in and you can move on with your day. It's really been cool for us as a brand to see how people are incorporating them into their own daily routines.”

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Medlie