Photo By Caleb Hennington
Chris Curry makes one of his signature juice and smoothies.
By Terrah Baker
Sharing knowledge may not seem like an obvious mission when starting a juice and smoothie
business in the heart of Fayetteville. But if Fayetteville is your home, and organic, natural food in its simplest and most digestable form is your passion, the mission starts to take shape.
“We believe that in a city of 75,000 people and growing, there should be more options for eating organic away from home,” said Ashli Curry, co-owner of Berry Natural, the newest natural and organic smoothie shop located in Fiesta Square, at 3059 N. College Ave.
They chose Fayetteville not just for its size, but because it was home and where their knowledge and love of healthy food strengthened. Chris Curry, co-owner of Berry Natural, was born in Florida and moved around before settling in Fayetteville three and a half years ago. Ashli was raised in Harrison and lived in Fayetteville for 10 years. During their time here, they’ve watched the move towards more people eating organically and healthy.
Chris gained much of his experience at Whole Foods Market in Little Rock where he worked in the bakery, juice bar, food preparation and the meat department. This knowledge, and their own personal education about the importance of healthy eating, gave them the confidence to open their first business, and become one of only a few locations in Fayetteville offering organic smoothies.
For The Health Of It
Photo By Caleb Hennington
Chris and Ashlie Curry and their young son stand in front of their new business, Berry Natural, in Fiesta Square on College Avenue, where they make natural, organic, GMO-free and gluten-free juice and smoothies.
Juicing and drinking whole food smoothies is an excellent way to intake large amounts of vitamins, minerals and enzymes, said the couple. From fresh fruits and vegetables to nuts and seeds, they try and use quality ingredients for every drink.
“Having healthy options in a community is a gift. People are starting to realize that eating organic and practicing a healthy lifestyle feels great, tastes great and may save them some medical bills in the future,” Ashli said.
All of the ingredients used at Berry Natural are natural and organic, non-GMO and gluten free, buying as much as they can from the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market. They carry a wide variety of herbs and supplements, they offer ganoderma infused coffee and several loose leaf teas. Along with these products they offer fruit and veggie salads, and soon even more raw, vegetarian dishes. They also donate their compost and use compostable to-go products, making them an all-around environmentally-conscious business.
Now that they are running their own business, they say they have more time to spend together, with their young son and are getting to share their passion for healthy food with a larger audience. To learn more about their business, and to follow them on Facebook where they post daily information about food and health, visit www.facebook.com/BerryNatural
