Lumi Juice Loves PA (and Means It)

A manufacturer of one hundred percent organic, cold-pressed, high-pressure processed juices and nutrition shots, Lumi Juice relocated to Malvern, Pa. We spoke to Hillary Lewis Murray, founder and CEO at Lumi Juice, to find out why her company chose Pennsylvania and what it means to them to be doing business in the Keystone State.

Seeking Room to Grow

During my second year in business school, I was wandering the hallways of Whole Foods and stumbled across a juice bottle that noted the product was high-pressure processed. I started researching high-pressure processing and became enamored. Given the positive outlook for the juicing industry, I knew this was an opportunity, and my business was born.

The name came easily — in college, my friends and I always parted ways with the phrase “love you, mean it.” Since the juice company was built on the premise of loving yourself and adopting a healthy lifestyle, Lumi (“LoveUMeanIt”) stuck.

Most juices are heat pasteurized, which kills 40 to 60 percent of the nutrients and changes the flavor of the ingredients. However, with high-pressure processing, the water pressure kills the bacteria, while allowing retention of nutrients and flavor. By offering a product that contains real food, people can eat an entire day’s serving of fresh fruits and veggies with one 10-ounce bottle of Lumi Juice. We’re enabling people to make healthy choices on the go and to build an overall healthier lifestyle.

We started our company in Charlottesville, Va., but experienced growing pains as the business took off. We ran into produce delivery issues due to the location, and also had technical problems with our high pressure machine. I became an engineer for a short period of time, trying to troubleshoot and fix the machine. At this point in time, we realized it was important to move.

Working Smart in Pennsylvania

As we started looking for locations, we knew we needed a convenient location to receive produce and to distribute our juices. Thanks to a previous relationship with Universal Pasteurization — a provider of cold storage and high-pressure processing services — the decision to lease a space from them in Malvern, Pa., became the obvious answer.

 With the central location, we are now able to receive produce six days a week, versus only three days a week in Charlottesville.

With the central location, we are now able to receive produce six days a week, versus only three days a week in Charlottesville. We can distribute our juices to a wider consumer base, and the Philadelphia region is home to an abundance of independent grocery stores, professional sports teams, and educational and medical institutions — some of our key retailers and customers.

From a financial perspective, coming to Pennsylvania was imperative for Lumi. We reduced overhead costs, and the tax rates are much, much better in Chester County.

Universal Pasteurization’s facility has also allowed us to improve manufacturing efficiencies. A process that used to take 12 hours now takes 45 minutes, and we have 12 times the operating capacity. We bottle our juices in this facility as well, which enables us to preserve the rich nutrients that sets our juice apart.

Setting Down Roots in Pennsylvania and Living Happy

Since moving to Pennsylvania, our quality of life has also greatly improved. For starters, we do not have to juice all hours of the night because our process is much more efficient. We also benefit from Malvern’s proximity to the train, downtown Philadelphia, and an international airport.

We are close to countless places to hike and be outdoors, and the beautiful farmlands of Lancaster County are just a short drive away. We’ve found that living in this area of Pennsylvania gives you the serenity of the countryside, with all the luxuries of the big city.

With a larger sales and distribution footprint and a strong quality of life, we know our future is bright here — we are excited to get everyone juiced up in Pennsylvania.

To learn more about Lumi Juice, visit the Lumi Juice website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Learn more about Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry by visiting the DCED website, or if you are interested in expanding or relocating your business in Pennsylvania, start the conversation with our Governor’s Action Team. Continue to stay up-to-date on all Pennsylvania company news by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.