Photo by Erin Nelson.
Lilian Green makes a Captain America loaded tea at Vestavia Hills Nutrition.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mike Ledford was working for a Fortune 500 company in Mississippi. Some days, what got him through his work was a loaded tea — a “Jimmy Buffett” with tropical peach, mango and piña colada flavors.
Other days, it was a strawberry cheesecake shake.
It wasn’t long before he became a silent partner in the business where he bought those drinks.
“I was a customer at first, and then I bought into it,” Ledford said.
Then, when his employer made some changes during the pandemic and Ledford decided to step away, he knew he wanted to go full-time into the drink-making business.
First, he opened Alex City Nutrition near his place on Lake Martin, then he opened Marble City Nutrition in Sylacauga.
And now Ledford has opened Vestavia Hills Nutrition, located at 670 Montgomery Highway, selling loaded teas and shakes.
He said when most people think of tea, they think of sweet tea or herbal tea, but a loaded tea is nothing like that.
“I tell people it’s more like a healthy Sonic drink, with vitamins and either low sugar or no sugar,” he said.
The drinks include boosts for energy, focus and digestion.
“Everyone is surprised when they try one for the first time,” Ledford said. “I’ve never had a person tell me they didn’t like a loaded tea.”
Ledford said it might be hard for coffee lovers to believe, but he’s seen many avid coffee drinkers switch to drinking loaded teas. But in case a customer is not convinced, they also have a hot and cold coffee bar with around 20 drink options and added protein.
Vestavia Hills Nutrition also has meal replacement, protein and pre- and post-workout shakes in the strawberry cheesecake flavor that Ledford loves and about 200 other flavors from Funfetti to banana pudding.
Pre-workout shakes are intended to support blood flow, fast-twitch muscle contractions, focus and performance. Post-workout drinks are meant to support muscle growth and repair.
Vestavia Hills Nutrition also sells acai fruit bowls and protein cake pops.
“I call it healthy fast food,” Ledford said. “When people think it's healthy, they probably think it’s not good. I beg them to come try us once; they’ll probably always come back.”
Vestavia Hills Nutrition isn’t a franchise, it’s a small business, he said. He tries to do everything local — even the signage for the shop was made locally.
Ledford said he has loved being in Vestavia and is glad he decided to bring his business there.
“I was riding through one day and thought, ‘I really like this town,’” he said. “It just went from there.”
For more information, call 205-238-5608 or follow Vestavia Hills Nutrition on their Facebook page or on Instagram @vestaviahillsnutrition.
