Licence 2 Kale (L2K) opened on Wednesday, March 1 in Rye at 55 The Mint. This is the third Licence 2 Kale shop, brainchild of Raquel Palmer, the first one having opened in Hastings July 2021. Raquel, who is passionate about improving people’s health through food, tells Rye News readers of her journey.
What is the motivation behind the plant-based food products you sell?
“I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at twenty-five years old and I knew it would potentially happen because my mother and grandmother have it. When I came to the UK the pains started and it was confirmed that I too had it. I was given strong medication but did not want that for the rest of my life. That could not be it, I thought, not at twenty-five years old; there had to be a better answer. I started to change the way I ate and the way I looked after my body in terms of fitness. I soon realised that fruit and vegetables are nature’s medicine. If you treat your body like a temple then you will notice the changes. I started to read on the internet about nature’s anti-inflammatories, what teas I can drink, what roots I can eat, what vegetables and fruits. That’s how it started.
“A plant-based diet was the best for me, and I wanted to share my knowledge with other sufferers. The juices and the smoothies seemed a natural progression.
“When I started the business I felt strongly that I wanted to be really informed about the food regime I was investing in. I didn’t want just to tell people about my experiences: I wanted to be really informed, and decided to study. I enrolled on a course at the College of Naturopathic medicine and began a diploma in health coaching. I learnt all about using nature’s medicine to improve people’s symptoms.
“When people try our products on offer we tell them why we have put certain combinations together and what benefits they will gain.”
How are your menus designed?
“After each product, smoothie or juice there are symbols that will inform our customers what part of your health they are supporting by drinking or eating that specific one. One example is Carrots of Caribbean: after the name on the menu board there is a shield which represents immune health. Other symbols would be a heart, a brain or intestine and these give the customer a quick guide to which one to choose for their situation and mood.
“You can have protein added to your smoothie if you request it, so after a workout people are encouraged to come here and have a protein smoothie and get that recovery started.”
What is your mission with your three establishments in Hastings, St Leonards and now Rye?
“I want people to understand that healthy eating is not only good for everyone – it is fun as well. Our smoothie bowls are colourful and have lots of add-ons and are tasty as well.
“We also like to create great fun names for our dishes, all based on movies and plays: A Fistful of Fruit, Enter the Dragon, 2 Kale a Mockingbird and and Polar Espresso. We are all vegan but we don’t preach to anyone. We want to show people that there are ways of getting protein other than meat. You can still follow your diet but supplement it with our drinks to make it even more healthy. Chia has more protein than a steak.”
What brought you to Rye?
“I live in Camber and it was always Rye. We have wanted to be in Rye for some time but the right premises just wasn’t available till now. So that’s why we started the other two.”
What is your best seller?
“Gabriella, who manages all three shops, will tell you a Fistful of Fruit all day, every day. It has apples, celery, lemon, cucumber and ginger.
“Of the smoothies it would be Enter the Dragon, which contains dragon fruit, strawberries, banana and coconut milk. The smoothie bowl with Acai, which is a Brazillian berry, is one of the best sellers too. The berries are found mainly in the Amazon forest. They are harvested and immediately made into a pulp and frozen. It is a super food which contains all the nutrient mineral profile that you need.”
What is new for the future?
“I want to run workshops where people learn about the combinations of the juices and smoothies and learn about the health benefits. That is why I took the diploma so I can help people with their diets and improve their help. It is essential to study and to learn so what I pass on is the best it can be.”
Don’t just take Raquel’s word for it: come and find out for yourself. Lia and Keiri, who both work in Rye, have been in twice already and love the combinations and choice on offer.
Raquel is seen holding the compost created from her smoothies and juices and wants them to enrich people’s allotments and raised beds (see first picture). So it you want to collect some for your own compost heaps do drop on and see Raquel or her staff at the end of the day.
Image Credits: Kt bruce , L2K .