Upon entering City Blends Cafe, it is obvious this is not just another healthy drink place. Autographed photos of famous body builders line the walls and endless bottles of nutritional supplements fill the shelves. Started by a former body building couple, the establishment guarantees great customer service by people who are knowledgeable in the sports and nutrition world.

“We are not like the big corporate giants; we do not try to push products on our customers. Instead, we offer in-depth disclosure about what type, when and how to use our products,” Damon Brookins, consultant, said. “We have superior customer service and a knowledgeable staff that can answer all of our customers’ questions in-depth. Our atmosphere is upbeat, and we have high quality, good tasting products.”

After seven years in the corporate world, Richard Stone, owner, decided to start City Blends Cafe in 2005. He and his wife, April, wanted to follow their passion, so they opened an establishment catering to people who want to live a healthy lifestyle.

“We run a business that offers a product we know extensively. As competitive body builders, we know supplements and nutrition,” Stone said. “We write customized diets, do consultations and train UFC fighters and body builders.”

Map showing location of City Blends Cafe The Stone’s cafe stands apart from other City Blends outlets.

“We don’t have to follow any corporate structure, which leaves us free to be unique. The general City Blends concept is set in a gym as a juice bar. We strive to be the ‘Super Target’ of City Blends. We have a large location, cater to everything in sports and nutrition and combine smoothies with sports nutrition,” Stone said. “We are in a prime location, next to Gold’s Gym. We serve athletes, including members of the Wranglers and Round Rock Express. Also, we have a growing customer base of mothers and families wanting to start diets and begin a healthy lifestyle who come here for advice and our innovative products.”

Richard, April and daughter, Bryanna, plan on developing their business into a successful sports and nutrition establishment in the future.

“Ten years from now, we want to be ‘the place’ to go for sports and nutrition. We want to be a landmark location that provides a viable competition to the corporate entities,” Stone said.

Unique Aspects of City Blends Cafe:

Body impact drinks:

Torque (testosterone booster)
No Explode (pre-workout drink)
Red Line (energy drink)
Superpump 250 (pre-workout drink)
Muscle Milk (meal replacement)
Cytogainer (meal replacement)

Specialty drinks:

Elvis (chocolate, peanut butter and banana)
Monkey Business (strawberry and banana)
Incinerator (Red Line and strawberry)

City Blends Cafe, Smoothie & Sports Nutrition, Hesters Crossing Shopping Center, next to Gold’s Gym • 512-244-3700

Snappy Snacks

By Katherine Kennedy Saturday, 07 April 2007 00:00

Mobile snack shop feeds Central Texas community

What started as a small catering service with only one truck in 1998 has become a major resource for businesses that rely on rolling café services.

Snappy Snacks was brought to Pflugerville in 1999 to fill the small town niche and prepare for growth. Now, they own 7,000 units and operate in several cities across Texas.

“I saw a future in Pflugerville, and realized the growth potential and beauty this location had to offer,” owner and founder Tom Ramsey said. “We have been able to expand into the Hispanic market and cater to them. We offer Mexican products to cater to their cultural needs.”

Snappy Snacks provides a wide range of services from vending machines to culture specific meals. The flexibility of the company and its menu items have contributed to its success, the owner believes.

“We are versatile; there’s nothing we can’t do,” Ramsey said. “We have provided services for everything from college campuses to movie sets to areas struck by disasters. If there is a need for food service, we are there.”

Catering services are provided to a wide variety of businesses 24 hours a day.

“Companies who don’t have cafeterias and can’t serve all employees are benefited by our services,” Ramsey said. “We provide a clean service. Our trucks are inspected on a daily basis and cleaned in our $1 million state-of-the-art washing facility. None of our food products are kept over 24 hours to ensure freshness.”

Map showing location of Snappy Snacks Giving back to the community is also an important aspect of Snappy Snacks. In 2003, Ramsey started the Celebration of Love and the Foreman-Phillips Reaching-Out Center opened to help less fortunate families in 2006.

“There are too many hungry children in the community; over 61 percent of Austin Independent School District students qualify for the free/reduced lunch. No child should be hungry,” Ramsey said.

The food pantry, which also offers clothing, toys and food for people struggling through difficult times, is open to anyone with no questions asked.

Ramsey’s organization works to help families meet their every need, and during the winter holiday season, each family receives a Christmas box that includes a frozen turkey, canned goods, milk, pie and bread. It is an effort he anticipates his company will support in the coming years.

“We will continue to work with the community as our top priority and continue to bring new entrepreneurs aboard with us,” Ramsey said. “We will continue to provide great service, great food and clean trucks to our customers.”

Celebration of Love - Program geared towards feeding the hungry and helping low-income families facing difficult times.

In 2003: its first year, 500 families were fed. In 2004 and 2005:2,000 families were fed. In 2006: 3,000 families were fed
For 2007, the goal is to feed 6,000 families
In 2006, the Foreman-Phillips Reaching-Out Center (FPROC) opened
To get involved by volunteering or donating time and resources, visit

www.celebrationoflove.org

Snappy Snacks, 15630 Vision Drive, Pflugerville, TX 78660, 512-254-6544 • www.SnappySnacksMobileCatering.com