10 QUESTIONS WITH AYLIN ERMAN FROM JÜS ISTANBUL
- Jan 25, 2015
- 5 min read
Photos from JÜS Istanbul
Aylin Erman had the idea for a juice company while living in New York, but with the market so saturated, she wasn't sure if it was the right place to launch the company she envisioned. After moving to Istanbul three years ago, she still had juice on the brain but was now in the Turkish market, which maybe wasn't ready for the power of cold-pressed juice. She quickly realized that not only were there juice companies in Istanbul, but they were doing fairly well and people were responding positively. This was the push she needed to kick her idea into high gear and create JÜS Istanbul.
In October of 2014, she, along with her partner Moritz Marwein, started deciding on recipes, creating a logo, picking out packaging and labeling, finding a production space, and building a business plan, branding and marketing. In a few short months, JÜS Istanbul is fully coming into form with a website where people can order juice for delivery. In addition to this, something that really sets JÜS Istanbul apart is, its store front opening in Cihangir in Spring 2015. This will create an atmosphere outside of the home where people can gather and do something good for their own health and well being. JÜS Istanbul isn't just about the occasional juice cleanse or detox diet. It wants to aid in helping people incorporate juicing into their daily routine to get the maximum benefit and feel their most vibrant. Aylin has plans to expand the store front's offerings with raw, plant-based and healthy treats, snacks, dips and salads. She will also have a loyalty program where if you buy a certain amount of juice, you will be rewarded with free goodies. Additionally, JÜS Istanbul only uses glass bottles for its juices -- not only because it tastes better and lasts longer, but because the company will start a return program where customers can return the bottles for discounts.
"It's really important that I create a company which has value and is trustworthy," stated Aylin. She added, "I'm trying to create juices that I would go out of my way to get." This dedication to transparency and openness is evident in the fact that Aylin admits that while her juices are made of the best possible ingredients and are always cold-pressed, they are not 100% organic at this time. The 100% organic model doesn't work in Turkey, because there are some organic versions of ingredients that simply can't be found here or are too expensive at organic prices. JÜS Istanbul negotiates with local farmers to get the best produce at the best rates, and right now all its greens, beets and carrots are organic. They hope to grow the amount of organic ingredients they use to 90%. The company is also dedicated to making delicious flavors that customers will want to drink every day. There are the green juice staples, "#1:The Source" and "#2: The Lean-Green," which both energize and aid in digestion. Other unique flavors include, "#8: The Glow Getter" with carrot, red apple and red pepper. It is perfectly sweet and smooth with a subtle red pepper taste that is unlike any other juice out there. The "# 4:Perfect Pear" with pear, cucumber, cinnamon and cardamon may sound like dessert, but it packs a powerful punch while fighting inflammation and boosting your immunity system.
To order your own juice from JÜS Istanbul, check them out at their website, on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter. You can also find 200ml juices for sale at Mahalo Coffee Shop in Karakoy and at Cihangir Spor in Cihangir.
Read on to find out how Aylin, apart from juicing, leads a happy and healthy life in Istanbul.
Name: Aylin Erman
Job: Founder of JÜS Istanbul
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
My perfect day of eating is...I'm laughing at this question because while I'm not picky, I have a very specific way of eating. I follow Natalia Rose's views on eating, which treat the body as a cleansing mechanism. The way we eat has the power to detox our systems on a daily basis so we feel our best. This involves combining foods properly to aid digestion and increase energy. For breakfast, I always have a green juice. I never feel right if I miss it. At lunch, I enjoy raw vegetables in a salad or other form. For dinner, I always start with a salad then eat a dish with cooked vegetables. Contrary to popular belief, eating your heaviest meal first is not the best, so I eat in the opposite way. I eat light to heavy during the day with my heaviest meal being my last.
My favorite restaurant in Istanbul: I actually don't have a favorite place, because I believe in finding something healthy wherever you go. At any meyhane you can find deliciously prepared vegetables in various forms. With that being said, I do frequent Cukur Meyhane in Galatasaray.
Best place to shop for organic produce: The Organic Pazar in Ferikoy, every Saturday.
Favorite way to relax in Istanbul: I run almost every morning and this acts as my meditation. I also get massages from Cihangir Yoga. Their prices are quite reasonable and the massages are good. (Note, this might sound vague, but if you go to Cihangir Yoga, ask for the guy. Trust us.)
My favorite juice and why is...In my personal life, I have to have my green juice every morning. From JÜS Istanbul, I really love our "#5: Uprooted" with beets, apple, carrot and ginger. The texture is so smooth and the flavors pair nicely together. It's really good for a liver detox, so if you are hungover, it work wonders.
What juice I recommend for newbies: Always green juice, like our "#1: The Source." You need to keep an open mind and commit to drinking it every day. It may not agree with you at first, but over time your palate will change. If you don't feel ready to make any other lifestyle change, at least drink a green juice every day. Just doing that will have enormous benefits on your health and it may encourage you to make other changes.
My favorite benefits of juicing are...clearer skin, better mood and not needing coffee to feel energetic.
A tip for living a healthy life in Istanbul: Cook at home. A lot of foods at restaurants, even healthy foods like vegetables, are cooked with too much oil. Have no shame about your commitment to health and live for yourself. Stop caring about what other people think. It can be hard in Turkey because there is a lack of culture around living lighter. So many things here, especially pertaining to food, are about excess and more: more oil, more sugar, more food, more smoking, more drinking, etc. You really have to commit to your health and not care if you get strange looks because of the way you eat.
My favorite resource for healthy and eco-living tips is...Yesilist.com.
Favorite ingredient found in Turkey and the one ingredient I wish existed here: I love tahini, pekmez and eggplant. I wish there was nutritional yeast, better chocolate options and locally produced almond butter.
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