Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 7214 S G M A G A Z I N E | FA L L 2 0 1 6 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 15 berries help protect the body against chronic diseases associated with aging. Blueberries also contain a large quantity of folic acid, which helps guard against several types of cancer and can be beneficial for consumption by women during pregnancy. Juicing the Fruit You don’t have to convince Shawn Davis that blueberries are a healthy food choice for people of all ages. “Blueberries are the No. 1 super fruit on the market,” said Davis, who along with members of his family has been farming blueberries for several decades. “Research has also shown that blueberries help regenerate cells.” In 2008, Davis, along with Francis and Clara Spellman and Scotty and Lorinda Hartley, formed Southern Press and Packing, located in Blackshear, Georgia. In 2014, the company became family owned and operated when Trey and Shea Davis and Andy and Tammy Brannen joined the team. The primary focus of Southern Press and Packing is to provide fresh and frozen blueberries and 100 percent all natural blueberry juice under the Regenerate brand. The company is committed to delivering products that help people of all ages develop a healthy lifestyle and reduce issues related to diabetes and childhood obesity. According to Davis, after months of research and several attempts, the team was able to produce juice that delivers the sweet taste of the berries without a lingering aftertaste that is sometimes found in other blueberry juices. Southern Press and Packing began marketing the pure blueberry juice regionally in grocery stores and retailers. In 2012, the company introduced Regenerate to school-aged children in Pierce County Schools. “We partnered with Southern Press and Packing because we knew that through the UGA study blueberries have high antioxidant value and knew it would be good for the students,” said Rhonda Cooper, Pierce County Schools nutrition director. “The children like the blueberry juice, and it is a one-of-a- kind product produced locally.” Cooper and other local school nutritionists worked with Southern Press and Packing to help the company become an approved USDA commodity processor. “Once schools in our area began purchasing the Regenerate juice we could show the USDA the need and desire for the juice,” Cooper said. “We are now able to purchase the berries at a lower rate through the USDA commodities program. We then select Southern Press and Packing as the processor, and they then supply the juice to the schools in four-ounce containers.” According to Davis, Regenerate is one of only a few blueberry commodity processors approved by the USDA in the U.S. Southern Press and Packing is a family owned business: Trey and Shea Davis, Tammy and Andy Brannen, Shawn and Karey Davis, and Skylar Smith. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Tammy Brannen, who oversees Southern Press and Packing’s school juice program, says that offering Regenerate, which is a pure blueberry juice with no added sugars or preservatives, provides a healthy drink alternative for school-aged children. “Regenerate blueberry juice is now offered in about 75 to 80 percent of the schools in Georgia,” said Brannen. “The blueberry juice is also being taste tested in Florida, and so far we have received favorable results.” Southern Press and Packing is committed to expanding its distribution of Regenerate products and supporting further research regarding the health benefits of blueberries. The company is a founding member of the Blueberry Family Health Foundation and supports the UGA Sports Nutrition Department through financial sponsorship of a sports nutrition assistant position. According to Davis, UGA’s Sports Nutrition Department is providing Regenerate blueberry juice to student-athletes to help in their overall health conditioning program. “They give doses of the blueberry juice to the athletes as part of an overall rehabilitation routine,” Davis said. “It is also an opportunity for the department to conduct research on the benefits of the juice.” Blueberries have a blue or dark purple color because they contain high levels of anthocyanin, which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. “In general, athletes workout at a very high level of intensity and can get muscle damage,” said Jennifer Ketterly, director of Sports Nutrition at UGA. “During the recovery process there are a lot of components, and one is helping the muscles recover from damage. If we can reduce extended inflammation and help repair that muscle physiologically, then we can reduce the damage and help the muscles come back stronger over time.” Ketterly, who has more than 15 years of experience in collegiate sports nutrition, explains that giving athletes pure blueberry juice is just part of the rehabilitation process. “Providing 100 percent blueberry juice is part of our approach,” Ketterly said. “It’s not a one-magic-bullet solution but part of a comprehensive plan that we use in helping our athletes recover.”