According to the USDA, as many as 19 million Americans, or 6.2% of the U.S. population, live in food deserts. That’s where Juice Plus+ comes in.
Food deserts, defined as low-income areas where at least a third of the population does not have access to a supermarket, have seen increasing attention in recent years as researchers discover the links between lack of access to healthy food options and the high rates of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases among America’s poor. That’s why Juice Plus+, the health and wellness company famous for its juice powder concentrate products, has committed itself to donating 10 million of its Complete by Juice Plus+
shakes to individuals that have limited access to daily nutrition. Enabling the infrastructure
to power that mission and all of Juice Plus+ operations is Paradigm Systems, a Rocket Software® partner and the creator of Mercury Flash, a top database management tool for Rocket UniData and UniVerse.
“The most powerful way to make a difference in the world is through giving back,” says Parker Mabry, Senior Director of Global Information Technology at Juice Plus+. “That’s why the Juice Plus+ Foundation is committed to charitable giving that impacts the lives of children and families across the globe. In addition to our 10 Million Meals program, which helps individuals with low incomes get access to daily nutrition — including those in food deserts — Juice Plus+ has also donated large numbers of our Tower Garden aeroponic gardens, which allow kids to grow fresh fruits and vegetables, to communities across North America.”
Getting millions of nutritional shakes to individuals across the country is no trivial matter. To execute on their charitable goals, Juice Plus+ partners with a number of volunteer nonprofit and charitable organizations such as the Children’s Hunger Fund and the Boys and Girls Club. Nevertheless, getting these products out to those in need is logistically complex, and Juice Plus+ relies heavily on digital technologies to get the job done. When the company embarked on its 10 Million Meals initiative, the company knew it needed a robust database that can efficiently scale with any increases or decreases in production or distribution. Thankfully, Juice Plus+ found a strong IT infrastructure partner in Rocket partner Paradigm Systems, which provides the tools the team need to keep their infrastructure functioning at peak performance.
For Juice Plus+ and all its customers, Paradigm Systems’ Mercury Flash software is specifically designed to manage and tune the Rocket UniData and UniVerse application development platforms, which deliver high availability solutions that stand up to the needs of modern business. The key differentiators for the platforms are their MultiValue database models, which are not only more efficient than other database models, but also accelerate application development time.
Juice Plus+ has been more than satisfied with their IT systems and service levels. “Paradigm Systems has been an amazing partner and their software keeps our systems performing at their best which helps us in the 10 Million Meals program and all our missions,” Mabry says. “One of our strategic advantages is the software we use, based on Rocket Software’s UniData and UniVerse database application platforms. From manufacturing to logistics to distribution, UniData and UniVerse have the flexibility and the scalability to support our growth. And Mercury Flash keeps it all running. Moreover, the systems are efficient and cost-effective, which gives us an edge in the highly competitive health and wellness spaces.”
"Rocket has proven itself in industries from aerospace and materials manufacturing to real estate and restaurants. Juice Plus+’s decision to continue to leverage this tried-and-true platform has proved to be a strategic asset in an industry where the prevailing attitude is rip-and-replace. I’m proud to have supported Juice Plus+ in their mission to get needy Americans access to convenient nutrition."
Jay LaBonte - President and CEO - Paradigm Systems