Ben Smith was only 22 years old when a cancer diagnosis abruptly changed the course of his life. Just weeks after graduating from university, the Abu Dhabi-raised resident was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in his appendix.
While his peers were starting careers, Smith was navigating chemotherapy, surgeries, and long recovery periods in hospitals across the UAE and UK.
“It was the start of my life, really,” said Smith, now 27. “All my friends were getting jobs, and I was thrown into the hospital.” After more than a year of grueling treatments, Smith emerged cancer-free—but drained, unemployed, and uncertain about his future.
With limited energy, he turned to something simple yet familiar: juicing, a skill he learned during his university days while working at Joe & The Juice. What began as casual experiments for friends quickly turned into a business idea.
Today, Smith runs Pink and Greens, a health-focused juicery located at an ADNOC station in Abu Dhabi. Known for its nearly zero-waste policy and glass bottle return system—dubbed the “Earth Club”—the shop is a haven for sustainability-minded customers.
Shoppers are encouraged to return used bottles in exchange for a week’s worth of free coffee, creating what Smith calls “a small loop of reuse.” “I’m not a businessman,” he said. “I’m more of a family man. I love the environment. I hate plastic. That’s just me.”
The shop’s eco credentials extend beyond bottle returns. It has recently adopted biodegradable cornstarch cups that resemble plastic but decompose naturally. Smith acknowledges the need to educate customers about these sustainable alternatives, noting, “It looks like plastic, but it’s made from plants, and it goes back to the earth.”
One of the business’s persistent challenges is dealing with the pulp leftover from juicing fruits and vegetables. While composting and donating to farms worked initially, Smith is exploring more efficient and sustainable uses for the nutrient-rich waste.
His ambitions, however, stretch beyond juices. In collaboration with a government-led initiative, Pink and Greens is preparing to launch a line of bottled water, where proceeds will help plant 3D-printed terracotta coral tiles on the seabed to regenerate marine ecosystems in the UAE.
“When someone drinks water from us, they’re also helping restore ocean life,” said Smith. “That’s the point—every product has a purpose.”
Asked whether sustainability was always a priority, Smith reflected: “I always respected it. But after cancer, everything felt more urgent. It made me realise this is where I want my life to go—something that makes a real difference.”
From patient to purpose-driven entrepreneur, Ben Smith’s journey is a story of healing, resilience, and a renewed commitment to the planet.