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Reuben Canada '99 Makes Splash with New Beverage


Reuben Canada '99 Makes
Splash with New Beverage

by Alex Weintraub '11
8/4/10

Reuben Canada '99
Reuben Canada '99 at a tasting event in May.

Reuben Canada '99, an intellectual property attorney in Philadelphia, is finding success in a perhaps unlikely venue. In addition to his patent procurement and litigation work, he is growing a business based on his spicy green tea beverage, Jin-Ja.

Canada first conceived of the idea for Jin-Ja as he searched for a new mixer to go with cocktails. But the beverage, a mixture of cayenne pepper and ginger, along with a blend of green teas and lemon juice, is now a hit on its own. What began last year as an informal business venture with word of mouth-driven sales can now be found in several restaurants in one of the city's main cultural and business districts.

Canada, who graduated from Swarthmore with a B.S. in electrical engineering, considers the rigor of the College's engineering program to have been "invaluable" for his current legal and retail. "It was a great education and continues to serve me well," he says. He encourages any Swattie thinking about entering into business to put "as much energy into your product as possible."