Father-son duo Rutho and Nate Occilien-Similien have transformed a 21-day juicing fast into a thriving business. Taste & See Fresh has grown by leaps and bounds in a few short years, with additional expansion still to come.
Healthy habits turned into a business venture for one entrepreneurial-minded father-son duo. A few years ago, Covington resident Rutho Occilien-Similien started juicing during a 21-day fast while working as a technology specialist for the Newton County School System. It changed his life.
“I noticed benefits right away. It was a great experience,” said Rutho, who moved to the area from Miami in 2007. “I lost a lot of weight. My energy level went up. It was an amazing feeling. My body felt the difference immediately with the cleanse that was freeing toxins out of it.” Others noticed, too. “People asked me if I did meal prep,” he said, pointing out that his job allows him to meet and see a lot of different employees around the county. Soon, he started bringing in various juices and meals for coworkers. “It was only supposed to be for a few people,” Rutho said, “but word got around the schools, and it grew into something.”
His son, Nate, took note after attending Disney Dreamers Academy in 2022 and decided to assist his father with the fledgling business. “The rest is history,” Nate said. A rising sophomore studying business administration and philosophy at Oxford College, he helped Rutho build a business plan for Taste & See Fresh, as they created a form through which customers could order for delivery.
“I don’t mind doing this with my son,” Rutho said. “I thought this would be a good opportunity to work with him. I want to be able to leave a legacy behind—and for his children, too.”
“I love the taste and variety.”
Jason Stonek
Eventually, they connected with the Covington Farmers Market, where they set up a tent, table and offered a variety of cold-pressed juices.
“We went there, and we sold out the first time,” said Nate, who graduated from Peachtree Academy in 2024. “At that point, we thought we might have something special.”
Currently, they offer 10 juices on their menu. You generally can find them at the Covington Farmers Market and occasionally at the Oxford Farmers Market.
“I was at the Covington Farmers Market and saw them, and now I’m hooked,” said Covington resident Amy Thomas, who works with Rutho and once taught Nate. “I’ve tried fruit juices in the stores before and never really liked them because they are so sweet and loaded with additives and sugars, so I’m glad I get to enjoy the flavors now and know it’s healthy.”
Taste & See Fresh’s most popular choices are Tropical Storm—a blend of strawberry, oranges, pineapple, mango, spring water and agave—and Super Green, made with cucumbers, kale, celery, red apple, ginger, spring water and agave.
“We obtain produce, fruits and vegetables, from vendors and different stores around our area, then clean and prepare and cut them for our industrial juicer,” said Nate, a former intern at Lily & Sparrow who now holds down various roles at Oxford College. “They are not pasteurized and have no extra preservatives.”
The company also offers custom juices, salads and cabbage rolls. It will deliver anywhere in the metro Atlanta area and ship nationwide. “There’s no excuse about getting juice in your hands,” Rutho said, who enjoys providing healthier choices for the area in which he lives. Juices can be enjoyed casually or as part of a detox or juicing plan.
“I love the taste and variety,” said customer Jason Stonek, of Covington. “Initially, I stuck to safer options for fruit-and-vegetable juices because I didn’t want to try anything I thought I wouldn’t like. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that even fruits and vegetables I normally wouldn’t touch in the produce section were the perfect blend in the juices.”
Taste & See Fresh juice has been featured in stores like Town Square Olive Oil. The Occilien-Similiens hope to find more avenues for expansion in the future.
“It’s really all God,” Rutho said. “God is really moving with His pace. I definitely see this growing to being in retail all over, maybe even franchises and distribution into stores. Expanding is always one of those things we need to do. We can’t just stay where we are. We started out small and we’re growing, from custom juices to retail to different juices to maybe a restaurant. I don’t know. The sky’s the limit.”
For information on Taste and See Fresh, visit tasteandseefresh.com, along with the company’s pages on various social media platforms. The Covington Farmers Market opens most Saturdays in May through August—weather permitting—from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Heirloom Park near the Covington Welcome Center.
Click here to read more stories by Michelle Floyd.
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