21st century revolution: Sam Lives! steps up in the great American juice craze

Launched in July at a Whole Foods store in Portland, Maine, Sam Lives! is the newest player in the ongoing juice craze sweeping the US.

Samantha Levin was born into a clan of dedicated juicers; when she was just two, her parents, named their nascent juice business Fresh Samantha after her. (Fresh Samantha was bought by the American food company Odwalla in 2000, for a cool $29 million.) The Levins started out in a basement in Maine and grew into a juice sensation; more than two decades later, the now grown up Sam is in the business with her own blends.

Sam Lives! produces non-GMO, vegan and organic smoothies designed to harness all the nutrients of a complete meal. With added plant based proteins drawn from shelled hemp seeds, olive oil for good fats and fruits and veggies, the smoothies are a quick, healthy meal replacement. Levin also blends her ingredients, instead of juicing them, so they retain their essential vitamins and minerals.

The hemp seeds are added in after the blending process, which gives the finished product a chewy twist. ’When you chew them it helps your body break down and absorb the nutrients more,’ Levin explains.

The packaging of the juices makes her stand out even more; the bottles’ quirky illustrations are provided by her mother, Abby Carter – just like those for Fresh Samantha back in the 90s

Sam hopes to ultimately improve the famously imperfect American diet with her juices. ’I know from personal experience that people don’t always have time to make themselves a meal during the work or school day,’ she explains. ’Instead of reaching for processed food, I hope they’ll pick up my super nutritious meals in a bottle.’ With names like ’Duke of Kale’ and ’Strawberry Basil the III’, they might just do that.