Downtown story inspired owners to come here
FLINT -- Sometimes you can find things made in Michigan in the most interesting places. There's a business who's production is located inside Flint's Riverfront Residence Hall that employs college students. They are making Raw Way bars. It's a business the Bethany Herr-Hatfield started less than two years ago, when she needed to change her diet thanks to breastfeeding sensitivities her baby daughter was having. She got an unexpected bonus from the change. "I was at 2400, 2500 calories and I was losing a bunch of weight," she told us. The bars contain dates, walnuts and other sources of protein that are soaked in water to aid in digestion. All ingredients are raw and organic.
How on earth can a person lose weight eating this much fat and this many calories? "it's good fat, it's good calories," says Bethany, "if you're eating a 100 calorie pack of Oreos your body isn't recognizing that as food and it is going to sit in your stomach for awhile." Bethany says she believes your body naturally wants to be lean, and that food that is all usable and digestible will allow you to lose weight and be healthy. She says it's more than a diet, but a lifestyle as well, with health benefits that even can include a stronger immune system and getting sick less often. So why only raw ingredients? "Cooking food removes nutrients," she says, "so when you smell the broccoli you are sautéing, you're actually smelling the nutrients leave."
The bars are hand made here in the residence hall kitchen by University of Michigan Flint students. The cinnamon - almond bar looked great, but an interesting green bar caught my attention. The "Spirulina" bar. "This is the best source of protein on the market," explained Bethany, "it's a blue-green algae and they call it a super food because its such an incredible source of protein and energy. Everything in our bars is beneficial to your health there's not one thing in here you can't pronounce or understand." I believed her, but algae still seemed like a stretch. Nonetheless, it tasted pretty good!
Still, another bar caught my attention. The cacao bar, which is the raw version of cocoa. It's a new product and an attempt to reach a new audience, kids and parents. "This is kind of my first hit at a raw candy bar," she says. "We use cashews, which are good for you, cacao which is a great antioxidant, and we mix it up and get a chocolate flavor to it and then we tip it with a cashew frosting butter we created." It sounded great to me, and it actually was.
Bethany has been nationally recognized in Costco magazine for her work as a young entrepreneur and her succes since starting the business less than two years ago has been incredible. After the article she was approached by partners interested in bringing this business to Flint. The resurgence of this downtown area was a draw to them. "We wanted to make it as Flint based as possible" Bethany says, and it is with offices in Flint in addition to the production here. "I love the story," she says "people who are vegan are very much about local products and ingredients in local areas and supporting local businesses, its a unity thing".
She is happy to have time for her family freed up now with the partnership, and loves talking about the health benefits of "going raw". "It's really exciting to talk to people and make them realize how much it affects you. The health benefits are so great." Raw way bars are sold locally at Dale's Natural Foods in Flint Township, and can be ordered online.
