Leon has been recognized as the 2025 School of Hospitality Administration Student Innovator of the Year!
When Jiayou “Leon” Lin (SHA’24) was working as a bartender both in the United States and abroad, one task consistently dampened his enthusiasm for the job: juicing citrus before each shift. That frustration sparked an idea that would eventually become Behold Juice, his innovative venture creating all-natural citrus juice replacements without using actual fresh citrus.
“It was fun in its way, but one of the things that I hated the most was juicing fruits before the shift,” Leon recalls. This common industry pain point led him to develop a product that not only eliminates this tedious task but also offers significant environmental and economic benefits.
Behold Juice delivers products that taste and function exactly like fresh citrus juice for both cooking and cocktail-making purposes. The key innovation is that these juices are made with 100% natural but shelf-stable ingredients, eliminating kitchen waste from traditional juicing while offering a longer shelf life and lower cost than fresh alternatives.
Leon’s academic background at Boston University provided the perfect foundation for this venture. After completing his Master of Management in Hospitality at BU’s School of Hospitality Administration, he decided to pursue a second degree, a Master of Science in Hospitality Management, while simultaneously developing his business concept.
The journey from idea to viable product has been supported by numerous resources across Boston University. The School of Hospitality Administration provided early backing, with faculty and the Dean offering access to culinary facilities for initial product development. Leon also leveraged resources from the EPIC Center and the BTEC lab at the College of Engineering for further refinement.
“The SHA faculties and the Dean were very supportive of my venture and gave me a lot of support,” Leon shares. “They allowed me to use one of the facilities at the culinary program at BU to do some of my initial development.”
Legal support came through the BU-MIT Startup Law Clinic, which guided him through compliance requirements and documentation. Leon credits Innovate@BU’s Innovation Pathway program, which he joined in April 2024, with connecting him to these vital resources across the university.
Currently, Leon has secured several customers and is focusing on expanding his reach in the Boston area, particularly through industry connections established through SHA. His short-term goal is to have Behold Juice carried by food distributors, which would make the product available nationwide and set the stage for rapid growth.
Additionally, Leon recently won the $50k BU SHA Hospitality Innovation Competition, and plans to use the funding to help Behold Juice reach its “fullest potential” by replacing the majority of bottled citrus juices used in bars and restaurants across the United States, Canada, and potentially international markets.
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