How Erewhon Makes You Think a $20 Smoothie is a Health Investment

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 How Erewhon Makes You Think a $25 Smoothie is a Health Investment

And maybe a down payment on eternal wellness

Imagine you’re strolling down the sun kissed streets of Los Angeles. Your heart? Light. Your wallet? If you're anything like me, it's about to get significantly lighter. As you cross the threshold of Erewhon - the organic grocery store (vibe: half yoga retreat, half Coachella VIP tent) - you witness the 20,000 square feet space of beautiful people and beautiful produce. Again, if you're anything like me - you suddenly feel a shift in your priorities. Your savings account doesn't need any more money in it. Maybe your mom was right all along - health really is wealth. Your chakras are what's important now. And ofcourse, what place better than the Erewhon to restore your microbiome to its ideal state. Erewhon knows this about you. Which is why every inch of this store is curated to remind you that wellness is less about nature and more about the carefully engineered civilization of organic luxury. Your badge of honor in this world - the $25 smoothie.

You probably entered looking to spot Hailey Bieber or Kendall Jenner, or to figure out what Kanye West meant when he tweeted about "Erewhon Drip." Surprise! As you enter through the glass doors - you find yourself in front of the Hailey Bieber. Not the actual person, but the drink! Erewhon's flagship item - in a bright pink font right on top of the tonic bar. You weren't going to see her anyway, maybe her drink is the closest you'll get. Now you're convinced that her $25 strawberry glaze skin smoothie isn’t thaaat overpriced, it’s an investment in your health, your future, and perhaps even the cosmos. But how did Erewhon convince you that picking Spirulina over stocks is is not financial ridiculousness, but rather an intelligent down payment on your well being?

 

Erewhon Knows Your Chakras Better Than You Do

Erewhon is no ordinary grocery store. Kale chips are a status symbol and organic turmeric is packaged as if she's a model about to walk the runway. The layout of Erewhon is designed with precision - every color break in the vegetable section is well thought out, meant to evoke calm and luxury. The lettuce can't be placed next to the spinach. It has to be lettuce first, radish next, and then spinach - you need the bright purple to pop amongst all the green. (Howley) Erewhon was founded on the idea that people may want natural food, but they don't want the "inconsistent chaos" that comes with the nature their food has been produced in. (Antoci) You want your Salmon to taste like you got it from the Pike Place Fish Market, but you don't want to smell the pungent aroma of saltwater and fresh catch. You want it packed all pretty with the label reading "no antibiotics or hormones added." You want to buy it and feel rewarded. It doesn't hurt that Erewhon's website says the $24.99 filet of Salmon you just bought is "the perfect choice for the health-conscious gourmand." (Erewhon.com) Now you are the health-conscious gourmand! And you made the perfect choice!

 The aisles at Erewhon are narrow, giving the illusion of intimacy and exclusivity. Ralph's and Costco may make their aisles as wide as possible, ensuring maximum shopper capacity. But the aisles at Erewhon need you to know that you're special for shopping there. The owner describes them as "curating a space of connective energy." (Antoci) The high ceilings and make it so you can't reach a lot of the inventory - naturally, you'd look around and ask for help. And as expected, a staff member will warmly greet you and assist with whatever you need. Very different from the twenty minutes it takes me to flag down a disgruntled employee at the Target store in South Central. (no hate to Target or South Central)

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The Menu Seduction: Or, How Words Like Vitality and Rejuvenation Convince You to Sign Over Your Paycheck

One glance at the menu, and you'll realize Erewhon has mastered the art of seductive copywriting. You’re not just ordering a smoothie - you’re engaging in a spiritual contract. Words like activated, cellular hydration, and vitality bounce off the page like wellness buzzwords. Almost feels like your consultant friend created this language after one too many synergy meetings with their latest client. They aren't selling you a drink at Erewhon - it’s a magical potion that promises to revitalize your soul.

Breaking Down the $25 Smoothie: What’s Actually in This Magical Elixir?

What makes these smoothies worth more than your daily lunch budget? Here’s the breakdown.

  • Blue Majik: This is not a DJ you'd see at Electric Daisy Carnival, but some kind of fancy algae that claims to make you glow from the inside out.
  • MCT Oil: For when you need to feel like a biohacked fitness guru, even if the only marathon you’ve run is on Netflix. Andrew Tate would love this stuff.
  • Raw Cacao Nibs: Regular chocolate isn’t good enough for your newfound wellness journey.
  • Adaptogens: The rest of your life is going to be stressful, your smoothie shouldn’t be.

By the time you’ve wrapped your head around ingredients like adaptogenic mushrooms, this drink isn't a smoothie anymore - it’s an elixir that will prevent all future illnesses and make you age backwards. $25 really isn't that much if you think about aaaall the longevity benefits.

(Erewhon.com Smoothie Menu)

The Cost Per Sip: Is It Worth the Hype?

Let’s do the math. This $25 twenty oz smoothie, once you’ve finally obtained it (and taken a beautiful Instagram story of it), is around 25 sips. That’s a dollar per sip. A full dollar sliding down your throat. I'm not saying the smoothie isn't delicious, it's one of the best things I've ever tasted. But "clear skin, positive vibes, and inner peace" - I don't know about all of that. Could I make it at home? Yes. But I definitely will not be putting any blue majik in there.

Halfway through the smoothie, you'll realize it's good but not $25 good. You'll try to convince yourself it is, because you’ve committed this far. Plus, the girl at the counter said it would make you glow - so that's good enough.

The Exit Strategy: Walking Out 25 Pounds Lighter

As you walk out of Erewhon, you may or may not realize that Erewhon has just performed their biggest magic trick on you - convincing you that a $25 smoothie is a necessity not a luxury. And I wouldn't blame you for not realizing. Health is supposed to be the greatest necessity of them all, and it's hard to shake the idea that we live in a world where wellness is repackaged and consumed as a luxury. What I can tell you is that the activated charcoal, soil beef organ, coconut whip elixir you're sipping will probably not affect your lifespan as much as they say they will.

At this point, you’re down $25 plus tax. But if you're anything like me, you'll walk straight to your car and hit the I-10 to make it to your Mindful Movement Yogalates Class at the Alo Sanctuary Wellness Studio. At least you're investing in your health, and that’s something you can carry with you. Along with the bragging rights to say, “I just had a $25 smoothie” which, let’s be honest, is the real win here.

 

 

 

Berlinger, M. (2021, February 17). How erewhon became L.A.’s Hottest Hangout. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/style/erewhon-los-angeles-health-food.html

Erewhon’s Hailey Bieber strawberry skin glaze smoothie: Radiant glow. Erewhon. (n.d.). https://erewhon.com/product/7791691000/hailey-biebers-strawberry-glaze-skin-smoothie

How erewhon turned the grocery store into a Designer Brand. (n.d.). https://www.fastcompany.com/91039861/erewhon-most-innovative-companies-2024

Howley, K. (2023, November 6). Erewhon’s secrets. The Cut. https://www.thecut.com/article/erewhon-smoothie-boston-los-angeles-history.html

Spina, M. (2023, April 13). Erewhon isn’t a grocery store, it’s everything that’s bad about La. Tasting Table. https://www.tastingtable.com/1254294/erewhon-isnt-grocery-store-everything-bad-about-la/


 

 

 

 

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