V!Healthy serves protein meal shakes and coffee, mega tea energy drinks, protein waffles and donuts, and oats and bites.

Husband and wife Hydn and Rossemary Vales decided to take a leap of faith and open their own cafe after years of dreaming of a community spot with healthier options. Their dream came true when V!Healthy opened to the public in May 2023. The cafe serves protein meal shakes and coffee, mega tea energy drinks, protein waffles and donuts and oats and bites.

Vales shared what he believes makes their cafe stand out from others in the city: the love customers feel from the cafe staff.

“They say immediately, once they walk through that door, it doesn’t matter if they’re having the worst day ever, the minute they walk through our cafe, they just feel loved on. So, definitely us making it a safe, energetic, basic loving establishment. I think that’s one of the things that has caused people to come back again,” he added.

Another aspect that helps the cafe stand out is the free fitness series, WeDo Transformations, offered on Saturdays at 8 a.m. Participants can go to the cafe and work out with a certified trainer.

“The biggest thing with the Transformation challenges is the community that is built. … As you start creating that consistency every day, you start feeling better V! Healthy about who you are … you’re creating these relationships with people that are doing something similar in the challenge,” he said.

He also spoke about the fan favorites that patrons order the most, which include their Carmel Oreo Cheesecake smoothie, their Nutter Butter and Chunky Monkey protein shakes.

“In addition, on a monthly basis, we always come up with a new smoothie for the month. So last October, we had a caramel toffee that was a hit for Halloween. And then this November, we have this apple crisp. And every time we come up with a new one, [customers say], ‘Oh my god, can you leave that on the menu?’” he said.

When it comes to the teas, Vales said that it’s hard to choose one, since everyone’s palette is different. Yet, their energizing tea, The Bluey, is popular with patrons, along with the Spooky Mimosa (pineapple, blue raspberry and blue blast), a Halloween special that he says customers beg for them to bring back.

He shared his and his wife’s vision for V! Healthy and how they see their business growing in the future.

“That’s the goal: to continue to expand into other communities and be a part of those communities,” he said. “Whether we’re going there and serving the communities ourselves through fitness workouts that we do, creating these relationships with the schools and being able to deliver our beverages to the schools, or whatever it may be. But this is our baby right here, and this is the hub.”