HOULTON, Maine — After their favorite nutritional tea drink shop closed last year, two Houlton sisters missed it so much they decided to buy the business.
Kassi and Amanda McGary bought Epic Vibes in late December and celebrated their grand opening in late January.
“I missed this place,” they both said.
The protein health drink craze has grown nearly 122%, according to recent market trend surveys. It follows the added protein trend, appearing even in chains like Starbucks, Chick-fil-A and Khloe Kardashian’s protein-packed popcorn.
The sisters were regulars at the North Street cafe when it was owned by Rosie Griffith, and Amanda McGary’s favorite is still the “Thing 2,” made with Herbalife tea concentrate and the flavors of strawberry, watermelon, raspberry and pink lemonade.
The Epic Vibes teas, coffees and shakes and foods such as peanut butter balls, waffles and acai bowls are more than just refreshing tasty treats. They are packed with protein, 21 vitamins and minerals, Kassi McGary said.
“Plus, our energizing tea bombs deliver clean, sustained energy with less than 5 carbs and zero sugar,” her sister said.
The Herbalife tea concentrate that forms the base of many of the hundreds of possible drink combinations is made with a green tea extract infused with a natural pomegranate flavor and natural sweetener from the stevia leaf or honey, according to the manufacturer.
The drinks have a light 25 milligram caffeine boost, but more can be added if customers want a bigger blast. Comparatively, an average cup of coffee has about 90 milligrams of caffeine. There are also caffeine-free options, the McGarys said.
The drinks are priced based on size and ingredients. For instance, a 24-ounce aloe freshie non-caffeine drink is $3.99 and a regular caffeinated 24-ounce drink is $6.99.
The McGary sisters are currently using the well-known Epic Vibes recipes and have brought back the peanut butter balls made with honey, oatmeal, peanut butter and protein powder and the acai bowls. The peanut butter balls are $1.98 for two.
The acai bowls, priced at about $6.75, are made with Herbalife Formula 1 Nutritional Shake mix and acai powder. They are protein-based, gluten-free and vegan, and function as a meal replacement topped with berries, granola, almonds, coconut, honey and chocolate or caramel syrup.
“Everyone is pretty excited we are here and we have stayed pretty busy since opening,” Amanda McGary said.
Many locals stop by early before work and during lunch and one of the more popular drinks is the peanut butter cup.
Just this week they added iced coffee drinks with protein and they plan to continue adding new offerings, they said.
Kassi actually was buying the drinks online and mixing her own before Rosie Griffith opened the Houlton shop.
There are so many flavor options that the sisters have to figure out a new way to fit them on their menu boards, they said.
Are they happy they did it?
“Being our own bosses is good,” they both agreed.
Epic Vibes is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, deliveries on Wednesday and Friday and closed on Sunday and Monday.
And even though they opened in the coldest part of winter, they have been busy and are preparing for the warmer months.
“This is a very popular place, especially in the summer,” Kassi McGary said.