SunLife Organics opens their flagship location in Fulton Market

Here comes the sun. Founder Khalil Rafati has opened his thirteenth SunLife Organics location in the bustling Fulton Market neighborhood. This new location makes organic smoothies, superfoods, and other nutrient-dense offerings containing the highest quality ingredients on the planet.

SunLife is more than your typical health club juice bar. When I walked in, I could feel the positive energy of the space. The staff was super friendly and inviting. Much care went into every smoothie and bowl they created. While waiting for my order, I noticed a sign which read, “No Wi-Fi! Be here now. Talk to someone. Make a friend.” I loved this message. We spend too much time buried in our phones. We should take a few minutes of our day and stop being obsessed with the internet. It’s essential to have new experiences.

We ordered a few smoothies and bowls. Each one was packed full of fresh ingredients. I enjoyed the Million Dollar Smoothie, which contained banana, raw cashew butter, natural plant protein, raw cacao nibs, maca, colostrum, flax oil, trace mineral complex, pink Himalayan salt, chia seeds, raw honey, and hemp milk. These might be some of the best-tasting smoothies I’ve ever had. I truly enjoyed the health benefits of this drink.

I also loved the Buddha Bowl. The base starts with açai, and its topping contains paleo granola, peanut butter, cacao nibs, blueberries, bananas, strawberries, chocolate spread, coconut chips, and raw honey. I’m typically not a fan of healthy bowls, but I could not stop eating them. Every spoonful was incredibly satisfying.

I was fortunate enough to interview the founder, Khalil Rafati. He’s inspirational and has defied the odds to create SunLife Organics. In 2003, he lived on the streets of Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. Life seemed bleak, eating junk food and drinking sugary drinks, which made him feel depressed. A friend introduced Khalil to juicing and superfoods, and he started to feel alive again. In 2011, he joined forces with Hayley Gorcey, and they opened the first SunLife Organics in Malibu, CA.

Reflecting on his journey, he hopes to inspire others, “Look at where I was and look at what I went through and look at where I am now. Understand I did not have any resources or any talent or any skills whatsoever! No education and quite a few marks against me. Meaning not a whole lot of people wanted to hire a convicted felon who was an ex-junkie, and that wasn’t that long ago. That was 20 years ago. To trace the trajectory of my life should give proof to anyone that anyone can do anything.” It’s this kind of positive energy that drives Khalil. I felt motivated just standing next to him.

The new Fulton Market location is their most significant space at 2,500 square feet. It’s twice as large as any other SunLife Organics store. They have 13 locations nationwide, and the Windy City is their first cold weather location. I asked Khalil what it meant to him to open in Chicago. He responded, “I was really nervous about that but as I’ve been told by about 50 different Chicagoans, life does not stop when the temperature drops. People still work out. People still eat.”

SunLife Organics is a welcome addition to Fulton Market. On the day I visited, there was a line out the door. I saw construction workers, young professionals, and people in their workout gear. It was a great mix for a smoothie bar. The neighborhood has come out to see the sun and feel good about themselves. For more info, check out SunLifeOrganics.com, visit their location at 333 N. Green Street, or contact them at 312-988-0003.