Joanie Frieden, owner of Daily Juice Cafe, talks entrepreneurship, health tips and her recipe for success.
By Lauren Jones, Photos courtesy of Joanie Frieden
Neither Joanie Frieden nor her husband, Cary, realized what they were getting into when they starting making juice cleanses in their kitchen five years ago. Avid juicers, the Friedens loved the health benefits of their fruit-and-vegetable concoctions and desired to make cleansing convenient and more affordable for others. They started experimenting, creating recipes and testing them out on neighbors. Their business, Austin Skinny Limits, a play on the iconic Austin City Limits, grew by word-of-mouth and orders began piling up.
While their business thrived, the Friedens had the opportunity to purchase Daily Juice Cafe in 2015 and have since continued under the well-known name.
“Some people thought we were a diet center,” Joanie Frieden laughs. “Acquiring the Daily Juice name further helped our business grow.”
When the Friedens took over Daily Juice, it already had a loyal customer base, having been a fixture in Austin’s ever-growing health community since 2003. Under Joanie Frieden, Daily Juice continues serving health-conscious Austinites organic-fruit-and-vegetable smoothies as well as cold-pressed, never-pasteurized green juices and house-made snacks.
The original juice bar in Austin, Daily Juice is where many turn for healthy on-the-go options, to lose weight and to reduce cravings. But Frieden believes her juices are helping customers dedicate themselves to lasting lifestyle changes.
“The biggest testament is my children. I have four kids and my two youngest ones have a Green Firefly juice before school every morning,” Frieden says, noting the juice contains kale, spinach and parsley, and is lightly sweetened with apple and pineapple.
Just like her two youngest, Frieden begins every morning with green juice, something she believes is key to her good health.
“I never get sick and my family has never been healthier. My husband has even been able to stop taking his cholesterol medication,” Frieden exclaims. “We stick to a whole-foods, primarily plant-based diet and sip on juices throughout the day.”
Frieden wholeheartedly believes in the mission that Daily Juice was founded on, that quality food is critical for health and longevity. So, despite the many hours she puts in at Daily Juice Westlake, many more than the average Austinite works in a given week, she considers running the business more of a passion project than a job.
“I work 50 to 55 hours a week and I love it. It’s my favorite job I’ve ever had,” Frieden says. “I’ve invested my time and embraced this healthy lifestyle because I believe in what we do here.”
Today, Daily Juice Cafe has 12 locations in Austin, Houston and Nashville. Tenn.
Joanie Frieden’s Tips for Health
- “Make small changes. You can’t go from a life-long meat eater to plant-based overnight.”
- “Load up on veggies. Once you start living a healthier lifestyle, you’re palate is going to change. You’ll start craving salads. Make it a point to fill your plate with fruits and vegetables.”
- “Start your day off healthy. I start every morning with 32 ounces of green juice or a smoothie I make at home with almond milk, frozen zucchini, blueberries, almond butter and a plant-based protein powder.”
