Students spreading health and wellness through, Swoll Bowl, a smoothie bowl business
Two Utah State University students have turned their health passions into a reality this summer through a smoothie bowl business.
Ian Jeppsen and Bronson Stolworthy both enjoy working out and cheering together on the USU cheer team. Since they began cheering for USU, the duo realized there weren’t very many healthy, accessible and tasty snack options that they could enjoy after a good workout in Cache Valley. This lack of options is what led them to create their new business.
“I was always hungry for a business adventure so I jumped on board,” Jeppsen said. “Both of us work out and we wanted something quick and healthy that we could grab after the gym. That is where Swoll Bowl was born. In the beginning, we had these crazy ideas and it almost didn’t seem realistic, but then things fell together.”
The two started building their business from the ground up. They purchased an old trailer and renovated it entirely themselves. Then came obtaining the proper licenses and permits along with figuring out the perfect smoothie combinations. Sage Rindfleisch, a friend of Jeppsen and Stolworthy, explained that her friends went through a lot to open Swoll Bowl.
“Blood, sweat and tears literally have gone into this trailer. I feel like they went against a lot of odds. They had a lot of things they had to overcome and not everything went smoothly. I am really proud of them for everything they’ve accomplished,” Rindfleisch said.
After many late nights and taste tests, the Swoll Bowl stand was ready for their opening day. The two were surprised at the turnout they had for their opening day and said they are still receiving immense support from the Cache Valley community.
When building their menu at Swoll Bowl, Stolworthy wanted to be able to cater to everyone’s tastes and dietary requirements. Whether customers want something fruity, full of chocolate or allergy-friendly, the bowls are customized to each customer’s liking. Stolworthy said this all stems from their main purpose of spreading a healthy lifestyle.
“Our goal is to promote a healthy, active lifestyle and overall health of Americans. We are trying to keep it literally as healthy to the point of using fruit as we can. We don’t want to stray from that and we want to keep quality,” Stolworthy said.
As college students themselves, Jeppsen and Stolworthy have been balancing internships, classes and health goals all while running their own business this summer. They hope that other students will want to taste their healthy snack alternative and keep their bodies fueled for classes, the gym and other activities.
“We think that college kids would want to come to try us out because we offer a higher protein than most places and you are getting more nutrients for your money. You are not risking any diet or health. Our whole goal and initial purpose is to have something healthier and tasty in Cache Valley,” Stolworthy said.
—shelby.black@aggiemail.usu.edu
@shelbsterblack