BATAVIA — Marc and Lauren Cordes have begun to make their mark in the “healthy hangout” market in Batavia with a new store, Batavia Total Nutrition. His business can be found at 4152 W. Main St., in the Valu Home Plaza.
Being involved in the nutritional food and beverage business was due to something that happened to his wife, Lauren, Marc Cordes said.
Batavia Total Nutrition ribbon cutting on Monday, August 1, 2022.
“Several years ago, he underwent surgery. After the surgery, she was not able to eat anything but protein shakes for a while,” said Cordes. “If you’ve ever had any of those, they don’t taste very good. We talked to some people and they said, ‘Hey, why don’t you go and try this?’ and we had to go to Amherst to do it. We stopped there and tried them, and they tasted good. She continued with that and we got to talking.”
Marc Cordes said that he and Lauren thought, why not take the idea of a healthy hangout to Batavia and see how it works?
“We’ve been doing this now for about a year,” he said. “We tested the waters before we wanted to have a store just to see how people in the community would accept it, so we’ve been doing it for about a year, a little over a year now, and we thought, ‘Now is the time to deal to do it in a store.
Lauren Cordes said: “I had some medical conditions that I had to overcome. It led me down the path of weight loss.”
She said she eventually found different protein drinks than what she was originally drinking.
He said he started posting photos of the shakes he was drinking on his own Facebook page and people started asking him about them.
“We were sharing information. People started asking me about it,” she said. This led her and Marc to open Batavia Total Nutrition, said Lauren Cordes.
Right now, Batavia Total Nutrition only does recalls, Marc Cordes said. The business is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Eventually, there will be some delivery, said Marc Cordes.
“We will design a meal program for you. Not just our shakes, but supplementing our meals with shakes and then teaching people how to eat a healthy diet in general,” she said.
Batavia Total Nutrition encourages people to order ahead by texting (585) 432-5545.
Marc and Lauren Cordes have three children, ages 14, 12 and 9. It’s been hectic, between business and taking the three kids for sports.
“Don’t let nutrition stigma keep you from coming here. Come and try it,” said Marc Cordes. f“At first, when we started this, I was also a little wary about it. The products we are putting out taste good. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be bad.
Marc Cordes credited Brandon Britton, owner of “healthy gathering” businesses, one in East Amherst and one in Niagara Falls, with starting Batavia Total Nutrition on his menu.
“They’ve had some success with certain things that they’ve come up with over the years and we got the menu from him,” said Marc Cordes. “He’s here for the grand opening today. He taught us the ropes of this.”
Marc Cordes said that he and Lauren are running the business with the help of their oldest son.
As for the most popular menu item, Cordes said: “It’s probably too early to tell right now. I like them all, so I’m a bit biased.”
Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Acting President Tom Turnbull said this is a niche market.
“I think it’s something that can be successful in the area,” Turnbull said. “As the Visitor Center and tourism promotion agency, we receive people who come to our office all the time. They are always looking for a place to eat. Here’s another option if you want a nutritious meal and it’s not that far from our office. I think Valu Plaza is a good location. It’s high traffic, good parking, and I think everything is set up to make a big hit here. I tried the product and it is really good.”
Turnbull said he tried one item called Peach Mango and the other was Fruity Pebbles, which was more like a milkshake.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
