Leila’s Delights is the splash of turquoise you see rushing through the increasing throngs at Maerua Mall, beckoning like a cool, calm shopping centre oasis.
Run by mother-daughter duo Ella Scholtz and Leilanie Chamberlain, the juice bar, health café and coffee shop is what happens when personal health becomes a blueprint for a business.
The short story is that after struggling with stomach issues and having multiple doctors tell her nothing was wrong, Chamberlain did some research of her own and decided to change her diet.
“We looked at the type of things we were eating and I changed my diet for a month to see if that would help,” she says. “It resolved everything I had going on. All the stomach cramps, the heartburn, my skin even cleared up.”
Motivated by her own transformation and keen to open a business with her mom that built on their shared interest in both crafts and health, Chamberlain opened Leila’s Delights, which has a little something for everyone, but trends towards the nutritious.
Offering an impressive and main event selection of juices in the categories of detox, immune and low calorie as well as regular and super-charge smoothies, which incorporate whey protein, Leila’s Delights is your pick of things like their Carrot Cleanser, Turmeric Sunrise, Green Glow, Pink Power, Spark Up, Mellow Yellow, or your own mixture using up to five ingredients.
“We are looking at the healthier choice, but are also making it taste nice, because so many people have the idea that if something tastes nice it has to be unhealthy, which is so not the case,” says Chamberlain, who recommends the gingery Can Beat for winter.
Ginger is known to assist the immune system, improve digestion and relieve nausea.
“We also have a ginger shot, which is pressed ginger with lemon and some cayenne pepper. It’s really strong, but it’s really good for you. Ginger is also really good for your tummy. So if you’re having issues with indigestion or you’re not feeling well, ginger is always a really great thing to use. The turmeric we have in some of our juices is also very high in antioxidants.”
Both passionate about helping people realise how good it is to be healthy, Chamberlain and Scholtz enjoy chatting to clients and giving them a little advice.
“A lot of people will come in and ask: What can I do for a headache? They’ll say my tummy is not feeling good. We’ve even had people come in and say: I’ve got a serious hangover, give me something,” laughs Chamberlain, who also caters to the cyclists and gym enthusiasts who come in looking for something that works well with their various eating programmes.
While Leila’s Delights’ best sellers in terms of food are their avo, lemon-and-herb, cheese-and-spinach as well as pesto chicken wraps, the shop also offers lean game meat wraps, energy balls, crunchy snack bars, sugar-free rusks, Deluxe Coffee and much more.
Cheerful, health focused and boas-ting fresh ingredients are whisked into tasty bites throughout the day.
