Meet Essentially
Weibke grew up in northern Germany, inheriting her love of organic produce from her parents, who are passionate amateur gardeners, while her husband and business partner, John, spent his childhood on the outskirts of Athens, Greece, where farmers markets with stalls overflowing with fresh produce were an everyday occurance. The couple moved to the UAE in 2005, and they both worked for a marketing agency, before setting up cold press juicery Essentially in 2013. “Essentially was created through our own passion and commitment to wellness after John and I both underwent extensive health transformations through regular juicing,” says Weibke. Essentially used organic raw fruits and vegetables, pressed using a custom-built hydraulic press that exerts nine tonnes of pressure, to make their range of juices, and is committed to supporting companies utilizing sustainable agricultural practices. Weikbe and John’s motivation for starting Essentially was simple” “Nobody else was producing organic cold pressed juices”. “We were the first in the region to do what we do at a time when juicing for health was not as well understood as it is today, and our business has been able to stand on it two feet for more than two years,” says Weibke. “We have created a brand that is trusted, and many of our clients have been with us from the very beginning. To us, success is the fact that we have been able to create a business out of our passion, so we’re very happy.”
Weibke and John live in a detached single-story villa in Dubai’s Jumeirah neighbourhood, which Weibke says is tucked away behind high walls with a garden given over to the couple’s many flower pots, plant, and their own organic vegetable patch. The couple share their home, decorated in a style Weibke describes as “Scandi chic paired with lots of pieces picked up on our travels”, with their five-year-old son, Linos, and their housekeeper, Chandra. “Home is not about stuff, it’s about the buzz of life, the rituals you create, the smell of good food, the flaws and scratches, the to-do lists, the heirlooms, the day-to-day Lego mess, the cuddle corners and mostly, the memories you create,” says Wiekbe. The living room, with its well-used wooden dining table made from reclaimed wood, is where the family spends most of its time. “For us, the dents and scratches on our large dining room table represent the laughter lines of many happy, lazy Sunday lunches and dinners spent with family and friends,” says Weibke. “Our lounge area is perfect for cuddles, popcorn movie nights and epic Lego and dinosaur battles.”
Find the recipe for their Banana & Blueberry Pancakes here.
