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A local company known for vibrantly coloured, cold-pressed juices is expanding with new space and new drinks.

Vitality Juice Co. recently opened an elixir bar at 71 Baldwin St. in Brooklin.

The space is shared with The Blooming Crate flower shop — a partnership between the two businesses started last fall with Blooming Crate hosting Vitality Juice Co. products.

The new elixir bar serves made-to-order smoothies, lattes, teas and “superfood” treats.

“My goal from the beginning was to have a physical location in Durham that could be a community hub,” says Whitby native Lauren Pifher, who launched Vitality Juice Co. in 2019.

The business started online with local juice delivery then expanded to farmers markets and pop-ups at gyms and yoga studios.

Pifher, who is trained as a raw food chef, has been interested in juicing for about 10 years.

“I got into natural health and juicing in particular … and I really noticed the benefits. I have better energy and I feel better physically and mentally through juicing,” she says. “It’s a way to get the nutrition from fruits and vegetables and herbs that makes it easy and tasty.”

Vitality Juice Co. offers several types of bottled juices that are organic, cold-pressed and unpasteurized, which Pifher says is “really what makes it different than the stuff found on the grocery store shelves.”

Juices are pressed a few times a week to keep stock fresh. One of the most popular options is Bold Beet, a blend of beet, pear, green apple, ginger and lemon.

Pifher suspects customers like it because they know beets are good for you, but aren’t sure how to cook with them.

The Blue Lemon-Aid is a hit with kids — it’s made with filtered water, lemon juice, maple syrup and Blue Majik spirulina, which gives it a naturally blue hue.

Cold-pressed is a method of juicing that uses a hydraulic press with thousands of pounds of pressure to extract as much juice as possible and as many nutrients as possible.

Pifher donates leftover pulp to a local farm to be used as compost.

At the elixir bar, the most popular drink so far is the Daily Greens smoothie with seasonal greens and a tropical taste courtesy of ingredients like pineapple and coconut.

The lineup of snacks and treats includes cookies, power bars, granola, cheesecake and brownies, all of which are raw, vegan, organic and free of gluten and refined sugar.

We want to hear about your favourite places to eat and drink in Durham! Old favourites, hidden gems, new restaurants opening, awesome food trucks. Send your great eats to reporter Jillian Follert at jfollert@durhamregion.com

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