Cache Valley locals create Ahsighee business

What started out as a sabbatical trip after high school graduation turned into a grand adventure that changed the course of Gabriella Cale and Austin Jensen’s lives for the better. 

In 2018, upon graduation from Logan High and Green Canyon High School, respectively, but not quite ready to start college, they took a trip to Italy and Portugal, to work with a program called World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or WWOOF. 

WWOOF gave them the opportunities to live and work alongside their host families and spend time traveling and exploring other places. 

They then traveled to Sydney, Australia, where they spent time on the beach, working and learning more about the culture. 

While exploring the beachfront towns and catching some waves in the health-conscious areas they were exposed to, they passed several advertisements for acai bowls, something they knew very little about. 

In a bowl, acai, a berry from Brazil, is blended to a frozen consistency, similar to ice cream, and is topped with additional fresh ingredients. The berries are high in antioxidants, higher than any other commonly eaten berry.  

With one bite, they were hooked. They kept thinking about the delicious fruit bowl and the need for something similar in Cache Valley. 

Cale and Jensen started planning almost immediately how they could become involved in such a business back home, and from there, their ideas began flowing. 

They spent time experimenting while working in a little cafe in Australia, and researching online recipes that they could modify to make their own creations. 

The couple have found many advantages to working together and have developed a strong love of business and acai, blending their interests and passions into one cohesive business. 

Between the two of them, Cale felt like figuring out the methodology of running the store was her strong suit, whereas Jensen had the business side and numbers figured out. 

“We balance each other really well, personality-wise and skills and traits, we kind of complement well because there’s a lot of things she can do that I would be horrible at, and then there’s a lot of things that I can do that she would be horrible at, so it’s a very symbiotic relationship,” Jensen said. 

Within five months of returning from Australia, experimenting with recipes and “janky blenders” in their apartment, Ah-sigh-ee opened for business at 13 West Center Street. 

The brightly-lit building serves as an inviting and comfortable atmosphere for anyone searching for a late afternoon snack or after-gym treat who doesn’t want the groggy aftershock of fast food hangovers. 

Cale and Jensen describe their business as clean, open and approachable, with employees who are fun and easy-going. While Center Street is currently under construction, Cale and Jensen are hopeful the new road will improve business in the long-term.

With several different flavor combinations to choose from, there’s sure to be a flavor to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. 

“I think everyone wants to take steps towards being healthier and making healthier choices,” Jensen said. “I think everybody would enjoy it.” 

For Cale, watching their vision come to life has been a worthwhile experience. 

“I don’t think it’s necessarily, like, hit me yet,” Cale said. “When someone says they can’t have certain things, but then they have this safe space that they can kind of have anything has been really meaningful to me.” 

Jensen agreed. 

“I’m not a super artsy person by any means, but we are both part of that process together, down to the Instagram posts. It’s been the funnest,” Jensen said. 

Landry Cazier, a USU freshman, loves that she gets to spend her work days in a clean and healthy space. 

“The work environment is motivating and honestly, like, it’s just very positive,” Cazier said. “I haven’t had a negative experience here.” 

Besides the delicious product she crafts and sells, Cazier appreciates the dedication that Cale and Jensen have put into their business. 

“I just adore the owners. They really have worked so hard for this and I see them work hard every single time I come in,” Cazier said. “They’re honestly the nicest people and they care about their employees and the product.” 

In the long term, Jensen and Cale would be interested in growing and expanding into other stores and areas across the United States. 

But for now, they are focused on marketing their products in the best way they know how: to the citizens of the Cache Valley community. 

—kortni.marie.wells@aggiemail.usu.edu

@kortniwells