From Port Harcourt to Station Road: The Pregnancy Craving That Sparked South Gosforth's Newest Food Favourite

Running an independent food business in the North East is rarely as glamorous as it appears on a beautifully curated Instagram feed. Just ask Chibuzo Vanessa Uche. Recently, she shared a humorous story with her online followers about a customer who ordered 100 meat pies and mysteriously disappeared. While the incident was frustrating and wasteful, Vanessa handled it with grace. She saw it as a valuable lesson in entrepreneurship, emphasising the importance of managing risks, adapting to unexpected challenges, and maintaining resilience in the face of setbacks.

This resilience has undoubtedly paid off. Beyond simply surviving the daily challenges of small business ownership, the brand has achieved a significant milestone by officially opening its brick-and-mortar doors to the public at Generation House on Commercial Road, conveniently located near Station Road in South Gosforth.

A craving with a purpose

Vanessa's business, Just Juicy Treats, didn't begin with a meticulously crafted business plan. Instead, it originated from a simple pregnancy craving. Years ago, while residing in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Vanessa found herself perpetually searching for fresh juice. The available options on the market were disappointingly limited. Observing a glaring lack of quality, she made the bold decision to create her own juice, swiftly transforming a personal need into a thriving word-of-mouth operation among her friends and family.

Later, when Vanessa relocated to the UK and settled in Newcastle, her entrepreneurial spirit resurfaced. Cooking had always been her steadfast anchor. She revelled in the profound impact a hearty, well-spiced, and delectable meal could have on people. It had the power to provide comfort, spark meaningful conversations, and instantly evoke a sense of home.

The taste of Nigeria

“Start small. Stay consistent. Follow your passion.”

In her new community in the North East, she noticed that many fellow Nigerian expats were deeply missing the authentic flavours of their homeland. She understood that many people were seeking that same connection to home, yearning for the familiar snacks they grew up with. This realisation inspired her to create the pastry side of her business, specifically the heavily filled, golden meat pies that have become her signature product.

For a long time, Just Juicy operated behind closed doors, building a fiercely loyal community through deliveries and pop-ups. Now, local food lovers can experience Just Juicy firsthand at its brand-new South Gosforth location, conveniently situated just a short walk from the South Gosforth Metro station. The expanded counter features a rotating menu of authentic snacks, including her popular meat pies, chicken pies, puff-puff, and delicious Nigerian egg rolls.

Cooking with intention

Vanessa, a passionate chef, refuses to compromise on quality in her new kitchen. Every dish is meticulously crafted, using fresh, homemade ingredients. Her day begins before the rest of Newcastle wakes up, as she thoughtfully chops, marinates, and layers flavours to ensure each portion is perfect. Her Nigerian heritage is woven into every menu item, infusing bold seasonings and traditional hospitality into a diverse North East customer base. Running a kitchen is physically demanding, but Vanessa finds immense satisfaction in seeing the local community savour her creations.

Just Juicy's success is largely attributed to the power of word-of-mouth. Looking ahead, Vanessa has ambitious plans to increase production capacity and eventually bring her products to retail shelves nationwide. She is also working on introducing her original freshly pressed cold juices to the UK market, completing her culinary journey right here in South Gosforth.

For anyone else standing on the edge of starting their own venture, her advice remains straightforward. “Start small. Stay consistent. Follow your passion.” Every pie that leaves her new counter tells that exact story — one built on stubborn determination, local community, and the simple desire to make people feel at home, one bite at a time.