Viral fame doesn’t always equate to greatness, so it’s worth trying it for myself
A new store has been getting a lot of attention at The Trafford Centre(Image: Joe & The Juice)
When Joe and The Juice’s arrival at the Trafford Centre was announced earlier this year, it was met with big demand and hailed as a ‘cult favourite’ landing for the shopping centre. But with more than 450 locations worldwide, including a few already in Greater Manchester, how much fanfare did this opening bring about?
The Danish juice bar marked the launch of their newest store in quite lavish fashion with a host of DJs, a spinning wheel prize game, and first dibs on their drink and sandwich selection – which can vary from a whole host of shakes, coffee, matcha and shots, as well as sandwiches, toasties, pastries, cakes and even a tuna sandwich which has found viral fame of its very own.
They even sell ‘functional’ drinks with a host of nutritional benefits – featuring all kinds of additions, like olive oil, avocado, collagen, black pepper, kale, whey protein, date puree, and plant-based milk. Seeing the queues outside as I passed, I joined to see what was on offer and to give some of their seasonal signature menu items a try.
The shop freshly set up on the morning of its opening(Image: Joe & The Juice)
Introducing me to the drink at the centre of Joe’s branding was an item for us carrot juice enjoyers. Named ‘Feel Good’, it’s described as a blend of apple, turmeric and ginger. It’s even developed in partnership with Novak Djokovic, and proved effective in bringing me back to earth on a caffeine-free morning. The limited sweetness added to the appealing edge for kickstarting the day.
Elsewhere, the ‘Trust Your Gut’ shake showed off the variety of drinks on offer. With a stronger fruit flavour of strawberry and banana, the beverage also contains fibre powder and kefir, designed around healthy digestion. Sipping this one in layers of autumnal thermals makes you long to experience it in a sunny park.
While these products are refreshing, the prices beg for reflection on your lunch options. The steep £9.20 charge is a jump from what I’m prepared to pay for an equally health conscious grocery shop or a single coffee. The viral brand is known for its blend of organic produce, which will always come at that extra cost, but when it comes to curious shoppers passing by, it could be seen as a difficult cost to justify for a single cup of juice.
The ‘Trust Your Gut’ shake, ‘Feel Good’ juice and ‘Joe Ho Ho’ turkey sandwich(Image: Ludwik L)
Pairing the best-sellers with the company’s new addition, its “first Christmas sandwich special.” The ‘JOE HO HO’ prides itself as a Scandinavian take on the boxing day leftover sandwich, the result being a crispy, tasty and filling takeaway meal. The turkey, slaw and beef gravy mayo combination sells for £9.95, which (as the Christmas Markets remind us) is closer to what we’re prepared to splash out on a spontaneous bite.
My total bill of two juices and a sandwich came to £28.15, which means it’s definitely not something you could really consider for an everyday bite. Considering I had two drinks for myself, I could cut that cost down a little for a light lunch. With that being said, I did appreciate that the juices were generously sized and full of fresh ingredients.
And Joe and the Juice don’t plan on slowing things down anytime soon. Already planning a further expansion in 2026, they have a Moseley Street store confirmed for January with other additions across the country expected to be announced in the coming months.
Joe and the Juice at the Trafford Centre is accessed easiest through the no. 3 Peel Avenue car park entrance, and will operate its regular hours of 8am – 10pm Monday to Sunday.