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Janae Greene never expected to find a new source of income in ginger and turmeric shots. After preparing a batch of the drink for herself and her son, Greene was stunned to find how effective the shot was at easing his ear pain.

“I had all the ingredients in the house … I gave him a ginger shot,” Greene said. “He slept through the entire night. (When he) woke up, he was playing, running around.”

Greene is the owner of BeSure Juicery, the newest addition to her brand, All Things BeSure, which is also home to BeSure Sport, her apparel brand. After opening the business during the pandemic, she operated the juicery part-time from a cart at James St. and N Collingwood Ave during the summer, and online once school was in session, as Greene is a teacher. Now that schools have resumed, she takes online orders and hand-delivers them with next-day delivery.

When Greene first began selling juices through BeSure, she didn’t expect it to turn into a full-fledged business. Originally, she sold items to just her family and friends. After acquiring her juice cart, Greene found a wider audience in weekend shoppers and gym-goers. She still maintains the business on her own, receiving help from her family when necessary.

“I literally just got three messages this morning like, ‘I need my ginger shot … I don’t know what you put in that, but it did what it was supposed to do,’” Greene said.

For the juicery owner, the name “BeSure” carries a lot of meaning. After she realized how much she values all-natural ingredients, the name stuck to her brand as a signal of her passion.

As a business owner, Greene uses her influence to educate consumers about the importance of eating naturally. She shares information about the vitamins and minerals in the fruits she uses, which she researches in her spare time, she said.

Greene also makes her own ingredients, including almond and coconut milk, and she prides herself on keeping things simple with her juices.

“When you’re ordering the GreenSure drink, you know the fruits in here, which vitamins and minerals are in it … and how they help your body,” Greene said. “Definitely (the juicery) is more informative, and not in a flashy marketing (way). This is the real deal.”

Greene’s passion for natural ingredients is not universal, though. On Syracuse University’s campus, students find the dining options available to be cheaper, closer and more convenient than shopping at local Syracuse businesses.

Chain campus options are often more compatible with students’ meal plans, making them more attractive to students who are looking to save their money. It can also be a struggle for students with limited transportation options to get off campus for food, making on-campus dining the default, SU freshman Dominic Naggar said.

$3 Juice of the Day : Strawberry Banana Smoothie

A photo posted by besurejuicery

While Jake Nanfria, an SU freshman, agrees with Naggar that the on-campus, chain options are easier to access, he would make the extra effort to try out a local brand if it appealed to him.

“(CoreLife) was extremely refreshing on a hot day. It’s absolutely easier to shop at the restaurants on-campus,” freshman Jake Nanfria said. “(But) If I saw something that really caught my eye … I would go out of my way to find local shopping.”

Greene believes her hand-crafted business can find its place in a more mainstream audience. Since the start of the pandemic, she has noticed an uptick in interest for juiceries. Celebrity endorsements of juice brands online have made the product trendy, and a general increase in health and wellness has assisted in boosting sales, Greene said.

The BeSure Juicery owner is hopeful for the future as she continues to learn more about her business, self and the world that is becoming more receptive to local juiceries like hers. She sees herself expanding into the inner city of Syracuse and acquiring more juice trucks in the next year. Greene’s passion for her work and the support of her followers are pushing BeSure to gain more recognition.

“You’re constantly trying to find different ways to expand and grow,” Greene said. “I’m almost positive, (growth) is where it’s headed.”

Published on August 31, 2021 at 12:27 am