After two years of long-distance dating, Katelyn and Nathan McMurry met for vacation in Portland, Ore. in 2017 and decided to elope. “We didn’t want to go home after the vacation was over and be apart anymore,” Nathan says.
They settled together in Memphis, sandwiched between their two families. “I was blown away that Memphis is the second-most unhealthy city in the United States,” Katelyn says.
In April 2018, they launched Nutrition Hub, a meal-replacement bar. “Our meal replacements are a way to get something that is easy, tastes good, and is good for you,” she says. They have four locations: Germantown, East Memphis, Downtown, and Lakeland (coming soon).
How They Keep Customers Healthy
Nutrition Hub’s protein shake menu has three parts that make up a full meal. An initial aloe shot aids digestion, which is followed by an herbal thermogenic tea (a powerful fat-burner). The shake, about 200 calories, has a minimum of 24 grams of protein, 11 net carbs, and 21 vitamins and minerals. Smoothies come in 45 flavors.
“Nathan used to play football and I was a competitive gymnast for a few years, so protein shakes have always been a part of our lives,” Katelyn says. “We wanted something that we could enjoy, too.”
Nutrition Hub locations are perfect to visit on the go, but customers are invited to socialize, study, or participate in a fitness class. “Because we aren’t from Memphis, we were unsure about how the community would embrace us, but our hard work has paid off,” Nathan says.
Balanced Bodies, Balanced Life
Nathan and Katelyn start their day as their customers do with a tea and shake. With an eye on completing marathons this year, Nathan spends an hour every day at High Point Climbing and Fitness. Katelyn has experimented with several gyms, including Orange Theory and Shed Group Fitness, but now sticks mostly to yoga at Hotworx seven days a week. Although they exercise separately, they spend most of their day together at Nutrition Hub in East Memphis.
“Even when we’re not at work, we’re probably talking about work, but we don’t mind,” Nathan says. “A lot of people tell us they don’t know if they can work with their spouses, but we love that we get more time to hang out than most couples. It’s great having a life and business partner all in one.”
By India Nikotich. Photo by Tindall Stephens
