Leslie Zinn: The Atlanta Entrepreneur Behind Arden’s Garden

Women-Owned & ATL Grown: How a Mother’s Vision Became One of Atlanta’s Most Trusted Wellness Brands

If you live in Atlanta, chances are you’ve come across Arden’s Garden, which just so happens to be Atlanta’s Favorite smoothie and juice bar.  Maybe you’ve visited one of our 19 smoothie and juice stores in and around greater Atlanta.  Surely, you’ve seen Arden’s Garden at one of your regular grocery stores like Kroger or Publix. On your way to work, after a workout, or when you need something quick that still feels like taking care of yourself, Arden’s Garden is the kind of place you don’t have to think twice about. For over 30 years, it has been one of those places people keep coming back to.

Behind Arden’s Garden is Leslie Zinn, an Atlanta entrepreneur who has grown the company her mother started while staying true to its original purpose.

A Legacy That Started in the Kitchen

Before Arden’s Garden became an Atlanta staple, it was something much simpler. It started with a single juicer in one woman’s kitchen. Leslie’s mother, Arden Zinn, wasn’t trying to build a business. She was trying to help people feel better and share Good Health For All™ in the way she knew best.

In Leslie’s mother’s childhood kitchen, Arden blended fruits and vegetables into what she called “concoctions,” sharing them with family, friends, and, soon, anyone curious enough to try them. What started as a personal passion quickly grew into something more. Neighbors asked for more. Friends told friends. Demand grew naturally.

Before long, she was bottling juices in mason jars and selling them locally. There was no formal business plan. Just a belief in real ingredients and a commitment to helping people feel better day to day. As Leslie shared in an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 

“My mom’s currency in life was wellness… if she was helping you be healthy, she was rich.”

Community and Quality, Built Together

From the beginning, the focus has been on making healthy options easier to access and easier to maintain. That belief has shaped where Arden’s Garden grows, how products are made, and how the brand shows up across Atlanta.

Under Leslie’s leadership, that commitment continues to guide expansion with intention. Growth is not just about visibility but also about access. That includes reaching more neighborhoods, like East Point, where fresh, nutrient-dense options have not always been readily available and creating opportunities that support the community beyond the store itself.  

As she shared in an interview with the Saporta Report, “Part of that legacy is a commitment to the communities Arden’s Garden serves, making the brand accessible in food-insecure neighborhoods and establishing apprenticeship programs that mentor youth and teach work skills.”

A Long-Term Approach to Wellness

For over 30 years, Arden’s Garden has built its approach to wellness around real, plant-based ingredients that support how your body functions day to day. That means fruits and vegetables that provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body uses for energy, hydration, and overall balance. Atlanta's growing vegan dining scene reflects that same shift toward accessible, plant-forward options across the city.

It also means meeting people where they actually are. Some days, you need something quick on your way out the door that still leaves you feeling energized. Other days, you need something more filling that will hold you over without slowing you down. Sometimes, it is just a small reset in the middle of a busy day. That’s where options like our juices, smoothies, and functional shots come in. Not as a routine you have to follow perfectly, but as simple ways to support how you want to feel throughout the day.

From Mother-Founded to Daughter-Led: Leading with Intention 

Leslie Zinn continues to lead Arden’s Garden with the same values on which it was built. Growth has not come from chasing trends, but from staying grounded in what works, plant-based ingredients, thoughtful expansion, and a steady commitment to the people it serves. When Leslie stepped into leadership, she wasn’t trying to reinvent Arden’s Garden. Reflecting on her mother’s influence, she has said, “The greatest lesson she taught me was not to compromise on my values.”

Today, Arden’s Garden has grown to 19 locations across metro Atlanta, with products available across the Southeast. Even with that growth, the mission remains the same: to make healthy living easier, more accessible, and more affordable for everybody. That growth has also been intentional, with stores opening in neighborhoods where fresh, nutrient-dense options have historically been harder to find, expanding access in a way that reflects the mission her mother started.

Across Atlanta, that impact is measured over time—in the neighborhoods served, the communities supported, and the trust built over generations. It reflects the foundation her mother built and a belief that wellness should be shared, understood, and available in a way people can return to in their everyday lives.