Alumnus Brent Rodgers shares updates and the progress in his company and time as CEO/President
Brent Rodgers earned a bachelor's degree in Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management (RHIM) and a master's in Personal Financial Planning (PFP) from the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech. After graduation, he found himself ready to move on from his time as a stockbroker for a Fortune 500 company. He began traveling the world to places like Peru, where he was inspired to create a farm-to-table juice company known as Roots Market and Juicery.
Rodgers' time abroad led him to local juice markets, where he found exotic blends and learned the importance of a nutrient-packed juice. By 2016, he had traveled to 50 countries, using each place as an opportunity to learn about their culture and products. He decided to incorporate his findings into his business back in the United States, where his first goal was to produce healthy options for people in the South.
Since 2016 when Rodgers first shared about his company, Roots Market and Juicery has expanded to nine locations and increased its online retail, which is now a multi-million-dollar valued component. Vegan meals, juices, and smoothies are the company's original products, which has recently added organic and biodynamic wines to its in-person and online stores. Roots Market and Juicery currently ships nationwide through its website. For local states, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and Arkansas, they offer complimentary shipping. They also deliver to the surrounding area: Dallas, Atlanta, and Little Rock.
"All of our juices are pressed fresh every day of the week. Each of our juices has nearly three pounds of fruits and vegetables, filling your body full of the vital nutrients and vitamins that it is lacking,” Rodgers said. “Pressed juices have 50 times as many nutrients as a juice you get fresh from the local market. The nutrients in these juices have miraculous effects on overall health, and the shelf life is five to seven days."
Rodgers has used both his degrees in RHIM and PFP as CEO/President of his company. His bachelor's in RHIM has helped him curate a new menu daily for his stores with items that Roots Market and Juicery offers. He enjoys being creative in the menu process and found knowledge from his degree allows him come up with new ideas and products.
His master's degree in PFP has assisted him on the business side for his company. This year, Roots Market Juicery implemented a new 401K and healthcare plan, which Rodgers created. He has also used his degree with other financial management aspects of his company, such as tax planning and data analysis.
Roots Market and Juicery strives to utilize high-quality locally sourced ingredients to provide healthy products to its consumers. Rodgers and his business work to educate the community on the benefits of a nutritious juice and plant-based diet. He says that his degrees in Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management and Personal Financial Planning have not only helped him to create a business but allows him to make an impact on the lives of people in the community.