LAKEPORT — Since turning on its smoothie machines late last year, Nutriblends has developed into a popular daytime stop for those wanting a few more nutritious snacks or meals in their lives.
“I want a product that people can say, ”this is the jewel to come to Lake County to have,”” storeowner Matt Smith said.
Located in the Gateway Business Plaza on Bevins Street in Lakeport, Nutriblends offers a range of beverage and cuisine options aimed at increasing customers” intake of raw foods and healthy treats.
“Our goal here is just making everyday food a little bit healthier,” Smith, 30, said. “If you can cut a little bit of sodium out here, cholesterol there, make things with less of the bad fats for you and still maintain all the flavor, why not? Who”s going to be against that?”
A Lower Lake High School graduate with a background in construction, Smith opted to enter the food-service industry less than two years ago.
He used to operate a home-improvement business — selling screens for windows, doors and porch enclosures — out of the same store location that would become home to his smoothie shop and restaurant.
“I realized it wasn”t the right spot for the screening business, and I had a family member get sick, which really helped me realize how important nutrition is, how much I wanted to learn about it and how good a business model it could be,” Smith recalled.
So, in mid-2011, he decided to regroup and reinvent, spending the next year buying food equipment online, redesigning the 790-square-foot shop and developing recipes for treats that appeal to all ages and health goals.
Nutriblends was born.
The eatery opened quietly last September, with Smith intentionally holding off on spreading the word about his new venture while, as he put it, “we were working on our menu, dialing that in, and getting the employees used to putting out a consistent product each time.”
In the ensuing months, Nutriblends” popularity would gradually increase, and its operations quickly evolve.
“It kind of slowly grew from just a smoothie shop to doing some food and continued to what we”re doing now,” Smith said. “Every week it”s getting a little more consistent. Definitely really, really happy with the results we”re getting here.”
The store offers about a dozen regular smoothie options, but customers can come in and create their own concoctions using store ingredients. The most commonly ordered ones are the “Lakewater” (carrot, spinach, pineapple) and the “Tropical Vacation” (pineapple, banana, mango), Smith said.
“It”s a healthy way to get a treat in for somebody,” he added. “A smoothie can be whatever you want it to be, whether you want it to be a dessert or you can have it be a healthy meal.”
Nutriblends also sells a range of juices, salads, pizzas and sandwiches, including its popular cheddar buffalo sandwich.
“We buy rounds of bison out at a ranch and cook them up in a slow-cooking oven here, 12 to 16 hours, and then slice it down,” Smith said. “We do the roast instead of the burger … just like the flavor of it better.”
The shop is also known for its hot honey sauce, which people add to their sandwiches, salads and even smoothies.
The nutrition-minded Smith said he continues to gain inspiration from the business next door, City Fitness, in his quest to help all generations live a bit healthier and take in more fresh food daily.
“My age group is going to be the first age group that has been raised from babies up on a lot of processed food,” he added. “I”m not really sure what we”re going to find out, when my age group is in their 50s and 60s, what that”s done to the body.”
As for long-term plans, Smith said that he hopes to wheel out a 20-foot concession trailer at special events soon and that he envisions having multiple store locations down the road.
“I”m really excited to see what this can turn into,” he added.
Open Monday through Saturday, Nutriblends is located at 865 Bevins St. on the highway side of the business plaza. For more information, call 893-7374 (89-FRESH) or check out Nutriblends Lakeport on Facebook.
