MANCHESTER – Rylee Nichols is a woman on a journey. Together with her mother, Jenn Nichols, the two entrepreneurs have launched On the Go Nutrition – a beverage store that actually customizes drinks for clients.
“Nutrition clubs are all over the world, with the same sales of drinks, but all are independent – and they are different in the way everybody has. You have the freedom to make what you want it to be,” explained Rylee Nichols. “And, we brought it to Manchester”.
Nichols was introduced to the business concept while in college, and became a customer of what is now sister store On the Go Nutrition. The business is 802 Nutrition in Rutland. He liked the drink so much, in fact, that he took a job there while he finished his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and then his master’s degree in athletic training at Castleton State University.
“They opened six years ago, right around the beginning of Covid, and I was finishing college at the time,” Nichols said, recalling what first caught his attention. about the product line. “I loved drinks. And, with my degree in athletic training, there is a little nutrition background with it. I cover per diem athletic training, events, sports games, and whatnot – and I have always had a side interest in the nutrition part of the important thing with athletes, so this kind of allowed me to build my knowledge further, outside of school.”
Nutritional additives for all products sold at On the Go Nutrition are provided by Herbalife Nutrition.
The best way to look at the product line, Nichols says, is as fuel.
Drinks fall into several categories. There are protein shakes, energizing drinks, electrolyte drinks, and coffee drinks.
Protein shakes are made with plant-based or whey protein, depending on preference. Designed to “fill you up and fuel you,” each shake contains 24g of protein. An energy drink containing green and black tea, natural guarana, and energy-boosting vitamins. Sweeteners and stevia drink enhancers, they are a low-calorie source of energy. For those who want to avoid caffeine, there are electrolyte hydration drinks that help your body function. Then, there is a coffee drink.
“Protein shakes can be used as a meal replacement,” added Nichols, “so someone who doesn’t want to eat a big meal, or is a snack between meals, who wants something to fill them up without feeling ‘I’m too full’ – protein shakes are a balanced way.
Nichols said customers unfamiliar with the product line come in and say it looks and tastes like dessert. “They said, ‘That can’t be healthy.’ But, it is, and it’s like a meal replacement. Protein shakes range from 200 to 235 calories, and it’s fun to think that you’re fueling your body with something that tastes so good.
In addition, protein shakes are not gritty or powdery, and can be tailored to meet certain needs, “We come out like a way-healthier version of a milkshake.”
“The energizing teas have very minimal calories, so they range from five to 15 calories,” Nichols explained. “It ends up being a negative caloric drink, for which they’re treated as a metabolism booster. Therefore, caffeine boosts our metabolism, and allows us to burn energy and burn fat that way. And, hydration drinks increase up to 30 calories just because they have a little bit of sugar in them, as a hydrator.”
“All our drinks are hydrating, and your body needs hydration to function. Water is important for all of us, and the basis of all our drinks is water.”
“The stuff we add next helps your body. Electrolytes help with hydration; the caffeine in our drink is a natural form of caffeine that gives you a good caffeine boost without the caffeine crash, and therefore gives you a good metabolism boost without the caffeine crash; then we have Immunity Essentials and Best Defense Tablets, collagen powder that we can add, and we also have probiotics.”
“Anyway, it’s fuel,” Nichols said, “and — it’s all about fuel.”
The number of flavors is also surprising, with six bases for protein shakes and 36 different flavors for energizing drinks or electrolyte drinks.
“And, I can combine anything that makes more. People love energizing drinks. They like fun tropical flavors. They like drinks that make them think that they are sitting on the beach somewhere – so, Bahama Mama, Blue Hawaii, they have that pina-colada-flavor to them, and many people like those tropical tasting drinks. But then, I also do a Berry, Jam- Berry’s, and we. Berries twisted with strawberry flavor, raspberry flavor, some blueberry flavor and then, some people just like to keep it simple and refreshing – so, we have like Lime and Cucumber Cool drinks and we also have Arnold Palmer iced tea lemonade.
That’s really the tip of the iceberg. Flavors and combinations can create anything, “We have something to suit everyone – and my favorite part is finding it for people.”
Not only is the taste adjustable, the caffeine level is also, ranging through no, half-caffeinated, boosted, and “light”.
The added caffeine comes from Paullinia cupana, the seed of a Brazilian plant more commonly known as guarana. It is valued for its high caffeine content which is often referred to as twice the caffeine of coffee. The released energy is maintained, improves focus and reduces fatigue without a quick crash.
“And, our natural guarana has vitamins that give you an energy boost — lots of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D,” Nichols added.
Nichols laughs, showing popping boba seen in some drinks. This adds an interesting layer of color and flavor to teas and fruit drinks. The novelty element of bursting pearls is exceptionally popular with kids and teenagers, but also with adults, added Nichols.
“Boba is just a fun additive that we put into our energy drinks, or our hydration drinks with electrolytes if you don’t need caffeine,” Nichols explained. “Kids love boba, but of course kids don’t need caffeine so we drink the drink as a hydration and electrolyte drink – and they get that kind of fuel.”
Creating the drink involves a bit of science, Nichols added, and it’s not just about nutrition.
For example, the development of protein shakes is about how and when the body needs fuel, and can be adapted to meet their needs through consultation. According to Nichols, the task of creating a custom-made drink, especially a protein shake, is all about understanding the science of how the body works and utilizes fuel. Pointing to a seemingly complicated chart, Nichols explained nine different supplements that can help with exercise, adding that he likes to help customers know what they need, and when to use it.
In another example, Nichols explains the science that creates beautiful layers of color and flavor in drinks. It’s all about gravity, liquid density and viscosity, and temperature. For density, the heavier and thicker fluid remains at the bottom while the lighter fluid floats at the top, but for temperature, the cooler fluid remains at the bottom and the warmer fluid floats at the top. And, for Nichols, this is controlled by ice, creating a changing taste experience – a story in every drink.
Textural elements can also add to hydration and energy drinks – and that can be achieved with products like popping boba. For protein shakes, different additives (such as crumbled heath bars or rainbow sprinkles) can be included for the same purpose.
Other items in the product line at On the Go Nutrition are made by Nichols’ aunt. These include protein-packed gummy bears and protein-packed snack balls. The gummy bear is made with a mixture of mixed berry protein drinks, and sugar-free gelatin, “to make a fun and yummy snack.” Snack balls, also known as protein balls, are made from protein powder, oats, honey, and peanut butter and Nichols notes that they are “a great filling snack.”
Aunt Nichols also made a fun assortment of dangly charms for the colorful Stanley travel mugs that hung on the wall behind her.
It was Nichols’ mother, Jenn, who said, “Let’s do this,” Nichols said — adding that she really hopes her mother comes on board full-time.
Jenn Nichols will join the team in June, when she retires from teaching at Currier Memorial.
“So, he’ll be working here with me full time after that,” Nichols said, grinning. “It’s a family thing, and I couldn’t have done it without him. He was a big part of making this happen.”
Looking ahead, Nichols sees many possibilities for growth with On the Go Nutrition.
The first thing on the agenda is to expand the business hours at the establishment. Currently, the business is open until 1 a.m. most days, but Nichols wants to keep On the Go Nutrition open longer. And, with his mother coming on board full time, it was doable.
In Go Nutrition is located at 31 Memorial Avenue in Manchester, next to Restore and across the street from Manchester Elementary Middle School.
Follow On the Go Nutrition on Instagram at instagram.com/onthegonutritionvt.
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