Wheaton couple marketing gourmet juices at farmer's markets
A husband-wife team is pouring their natural gourmet juices into farmer's markets throughout the suburbs.
Stephanie and John Myers of Wheaton own Ka-Ching Juices, a company that develops, manufactures and distributes 100 percent natural juices. "Hit the flavor jackpot" is the motto of the business that is nearly two years old.
The couple is participating in 11 area farmer's markets with an array of juices that don't have artificial ingredients, fructose, corn syrups or sugars.
"They're all naturally sweet," John Myers said.
Orange-peach is the top seller. Other flavors include apple-cherry, raspberry-lime and strawberry-watermelon. The juices sell for $16 a case, $9 a six-pack, and $2 a single 12-ounce bottle. Each bottle is equivalent to one and a half cups of fruit, Myers said.
The juices are available at farmer's markets in towns including Winfield, Grayslake, Elmhurst, St. Charles, Schaumburg, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Lisle and Wilmette.
The business owners are also working to grow the product in grocery stores.
"One of our biggest struggles is to get it into the retail stores," Myers said.
The other difficult aspect in getting the business off the ground has been finding a manufacturing plant that would meet their specifications. They found a manufacturer in Milwaukee.
Wisconsin is where the idea for the business developed, Myers explained. Nearly 20 years ago, the couple was vacationing and found a fruit juice they liked called Door County Cooler. They enjoyed the beverage every time they vacationed in Door County until they discovered it was no longer available.
So, they began discussing starting their own business with a similar beverage and looked up the former owner of Door County Cooler from California. They researched the idea and talked with food technology groups at universities to help develop the formulas for the beverages.
The entrepreneurs are now taking a grass-roots effort in spreading the word about the business. They say the farmer's markets are a perfect venue for allowing people to taste the drinks.
"People like the fact that we're local," Myers said. He hopes eventually to expand the product line to include teas and other drinks.
The couple is raising two children in Wheaton. Claire, 16, and Stephen, 14, assist in the farmer's markets.
John, 48, continues to work in the marketing industry. He was at a conference when he came up with the name for the small business.
"The speaker was talking about coming up with something distinct. I wanted the name to be different," he said.
Stephanie, the president of the company, is originally from Japan. She continues to teach piano lessons when she's not staffing the booth at the markets.
For more information, check out drinkkaching.com or call (630) 510-2991.
Kim Mikus covers retail and small business. She welcomes comments at kmikus@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4567.