Meet Jan and Kev, owners of much-loved TVM food and beverage caravan, Smoothjuice.
Well-known for their epic juices, smoothies, healthy bowls, wicked sense of humour and upbeat vibes, the English couple have called the Gold Coast home for over a decade, recently celebrated 30 years of marriage and have built a 100% self sufficient tiny home in the Gold Coast Hinterland.
We had a quick chat to Jan and Kev, two very much adored members of our TVM community about life in a tiny home, how COVID-19 has affected their business and more. Enjoy the read!
Hi guys. Local food trucks have taken a big hit throughout this COVID-19 pandemic, with most events being cancelled. Without permanent premises to retail, we know it’s been a really challenging for your industry. How are you going?
Strange times that’s for sure but we’re keeping a positive spin on things and hoping that good things will come of this situation when we are out the other side, locally and world-wide.
Have you been able to keep the business going during this time and if so, where and how can we support you?
We’ve managed to keep our heads above water with a little help from our friends and our local community in Mudgeeraba. We have a regular spot outside our friends cafe Millers Espresso (Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba) on Saturday mornings and we’re also still trading at Currumbin Community Farmers Markets on Thursday mornings.
You both recently built your own 100% off-grid 3m x 10m tiny home, in the Gold Coast Hinterland. This slow way of living must have made a big difference for you both, during what has been such a difficult time financially and emotionally for so many?
We are so grateful that our lifestyle affords us to be relaxed about finances as we’re aware of so many struggling.
This is basically what the tiny house movement was created for, an affordable and sustainable way of living that is also cohesive with the land.
I can’t tell you how many conversations we’ve had in the last couple of weeks about this. People coming to the realisation that so much of their money has been wasted or spent on credit on material goods that are pretty insignificant now and how they have realised time with their family is so much more important.
Images by Living Big In A Tiny House
Can you share with us your favourite go-to recipe for keeping your immune system up during this season?
I’m vegetarian (Jan) and Kev is a vegan. We do definitely feel that this contributes massively to our wellbeing, not to say we don’t enjoy a beer too, we both believe in a healthy balance! If we had one recommendation it would be to eat or blend lots of leafy greens into your diet along with fresh herbs.
Our Extreme Green Smoothie recipe would be a go-to for immunity:
kale/ spinach/ celery/ pineapple/ banana/ ginger/ ice/ coconut water
Where is the first place you’d love to travel to, once the travel ban is lifted?
As for travel we’ve actually decided that for the foreseeable future we are going to travel in Australia as soon as restrictions are lifted. It’s such a beautiful country and being Poms we haven’t seen too much of it yet.
Why do you love being a part of the TVM community?
We really can’t wait to get back to The Village Markets, we’re so missing the community of stall holders and the banter with our regulars & of course the boys breakfast club with Kev, Paddy (The Weiner Haus) & Joel (Olas Supply Co) Sunday’s have seriously not been the same!
Thanks so much guys! We can’t wait to see you soon on when TVM returns, Sunday 7 June at Burleigh Heads State School, Gold Coast.
Check out Jan and Kev’s tiny home at: @whytinyhouse
And you can follow and connect with them via Instagram: @smoothjuice_
