The practice of juicing, which has been around for decades, has gained some traction in the last few years as juicers come forward with their stories of renewed health and feelings of clarity. One such juicer is Bryan Ortenzio, manager and co-owner of The Fountain of Juice Ortenzio is in his twenties and has not faced a major health crisis, but he did wrestle in college and struggled with weight management. Family friend Jim Lukens, who used juicing and clean eating to eliminate all symptoms of ulcerative colitis from his body a few years prior, encouraged Ortenzio to try juicing.

Swayed by Lukens’ testimony, Ortenzio decided to give it a go and was stunned at the results. “It really helped with my diet regimen in college, making weight management easier. I also found that I had better focus and concentration after I started juicing,” he says. Ortenzio, like Lukens before him, was a juicing believer.

After his life-changing experience, Lukens was determined to share juicing with the world. A principal with the Spring Township-based Select Grill—the parent company of Austin’s, J.B. Dawson’s, Coastal Grill and Yogo Crazy restaurants in Langhorne, Lancaster, Reading and Delaware. Lukens was in a good position to introduce a line of juicing products locally, but he needed someone to manage the business. Naturally, he asked his young family friend and fellow juice enthusiast Ortenzio to take on the job, and The Fountain of Juice was born.

“Jim brought me on to realize his vision and to help him along the way,” explains Ortenzio. “He is a successful entrepreneur and franchise owner and he and I had both seen juice bars extend from the West Coast to the New York City area. We knew there was a market for them here.”

Instead of spending the capital needed to open up a storefront, Lukens and Ortenzio decided to offer the products at Lukens’ restaurants. “One of the benefits of operating out of a community restaurant is that it allows us to price our juice lower than our competitors since we don’t have to pay for space. We decided that I would operate in the restaurants and sell the product online,” says Ortenzio. “Local customers can pick up our juices at the restaurants or we can deliver straight to their door.” The Fountain of Juice offers pick-up for regular customers at J.B. Dawson’s Restaurant and Bar, in Lancaster, and at Yogo Crazy Frozen Yogurt, in Reading.

Other than the hard work of Ortenzio and Lukens, the primary reason for the success of The Fountain of Juice is the product line. “I work with a group of passionate juicers that also happen to be perfectionists, so our products are carefully selected, delicious and made from only the best ingredients,” says Ortenzio. The Fountain of Juice’s bestsellers include Livin’ on the Vedge, a combination of spinach, kale, collards, carrots, apple and lemon, which is designed to help improve cholesterol levels and protect the body against cancer, diabetes and digestive disorders.

Another popular blend with athletes is Hard to Beet, a combination of beet and ginger that provides a unique source of phytonutrients which have been linked to improved cardiovascular health, reduced inflammation and protection against some cancers and diabetes. Carrot, apple and pineapple juice are also in the concoction, which helps to fuel performance before, during and after a workout.

Other flavors include 24 Carrot Gold, Sweet & Sassy, Mint Condition and Greening is Believing, all of which come in 16-ounce bottles. Ortenzio and his team of juicers are constantly looking for new products to add to their line-up. “I’m just a juicer, not a doctor or nurse, but I have experienced the power of juice. It made a difference in my life and Jim’s as well,” notes Ortenzio. “We want to always be in tune with our customers. We listen to their ideas and do our best to meet their demands.”

The Fountain of Juice is also dedicated to maintaining a positive presence in the community. “We’ve donated juice products to charity walks for cancer, done community events at coffee houses and will be attending a health expo at a local high school hoping to reduce childhood obesity,” says Ortenzio. The team will also be attending a Healthy Mind charity walk in October.

The Fountain of Juice’s local presence has steadily expanded since the beginning and Ortenzio predicts more growth in the future. “I see our product line greatly expanding along with the regions that we serve. It is my goal to push juice in the northeast and areas that we have not seen it before. Every customer review I read adds fuel to the fire in me,” he enthuses.

For more information or to make a purchase, visit TheFountainOfJuice.com.

Julianne Hale is a freelance writer and editor. She blogs at AnotherGrayHair.wordpress.com and can be reached at [email protected].