Cranky Carrot Juice Co.

“I am proud to run a business that focuses on quality over profit… Similarly, we prioritize sustainability and sourcing locally”

At the heart of Cranky Carrot Juice Co. lies a clear mission: to “provide their community with fun, exciting, and delicious ways to incorporate colorful fruits and vegetables into their diets. We believe in the power that plant-forward foods have over our health and wellness”. By hand-crafting recipes using functional ingredients, they create products that not only satisfy taste buds but also support the body's natural healing and thriving processes.

When Cranky Carrot Juice Co. first emerged on the scene, their primary focus was on delivering exceptional cold-pressed juices. Over time, they honed their recipes, adding new flavors to their lineup. However, they have recently expanded their market offerings to include kombucha! When I asked Francesca about the new addition she said, “At first, I was extremely skeptical because I felt we had enough work on our hands. But after I tried his first small batch - I had to change my mind for two reasons (1) the kombucha paired with our cold-pressed juice was a game changer (2) when I started researching the gut-healing benefits of kombucha and started feeling the results of drinking more kombucha, I felt this was something we definitely had to share with our customers.”

As a small business there are always misconceptions your are having to combat. Cranky Carrot Juice Co. often finds themselves addressing misconceptions surrounding what cold-pressed juice actually means and why truly cold-pressed juice is so valuable. Francesca explained to me that, “A true cold-press machine does not use heat and it reduces oxidation (the process in which a substance changes when it is exposed to oxygen). Oxidation leads to loss of nutrients, growth of harmful bacteria and overall loss in quality and flavor. When we cook fruits or vegetables or apply any kind of heat we actually destroy a good amount of beneficial nutrients and vitamins. Blenders, other kinds of juicers and the pasteurization process (juice from the grocery store is pasteurized) apply heat.”

If you’ve ever found yourself concerned about the high sugar and reduced fiber content of juice, Francesca sets the record straight here as well. She clarified that:

“natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables are utilized by the body, and their juices contain no added or artificial sugars. The micronutrients present in these plant-based sources play a crucial role in disease prevention, as well as the regulation and support of bodily functions and systems. When fruits and vegetables are juiced, the concentration of these micronutrients offers numerous health benefits that outweigh any concerns about natural sugars.”

As for the fiber content, Francesca explained that, “the fiber separation in the cold-pressed juicing process allows for easy and quick absorption and utilization of the nutrients, making it an efficient way to obtain vital elements that supplements in pill form cannot replicate.” All of this attention to nutritional quality and integrity, as well as thoughtful product education, is what sets Cranky Carrot apart from so many other juice companies.

In the past year, Cranky Carrot Juice Co. celebrated a significant milestone. In October 2022, they opened their first brick-and-mortar location in Downtown Houston, within the vibrant space of Finn Hall. This expansion has allowed them to diversify their offerings and include functional smoothies, smoothie bowls, and plant-forward snacks like avocado toast and chia seed pudding parfaits.

When I asked Francesca what she’s loved most about business journey, she quickly said “I am proud to run a business that focuses on quality over profit. For example, even though it is more labor-intensive, we make our own almond milk to avoid serving preservatives, gums, artificial additives and inflammatory oils. Similarly, we prioritize sustainability and sourcing locally. We partner with Happy Earth Compost to compost all of our food waste which comes out to over 100 gallons weekly. We rotate our local produce depending on what is in season.”

If you haven’t had the chance to try some of Cranky Carrot’s juices or kombucha yet, join us at either of our farmers markets (details below) or make your way to Finn Hall to catch the Cranky Carrot team at their brick-and-mortar location. I’m so honored to work closely with businesses like Francesca’s that prioritizes the integrity of their products and strengthens Houston’s food system by closely working with other local businesses. I’ll always be excited to see what the adventure will be for this fantastic team!