BY ANDREA PALMER
Chris Aunchman is the founder of Macro Nu,
a new business bringing ready-made whole food
meals to the healthy but hurried consumer. The
concept is based on Macro Nu-trients, namely
meat and vegetables.
In 2004, Aunchman and his brother started
Angelina’s Pizzeria in Queensbury. Shortly after,
they bought out their parents’ small Fort Edward
deli, renaming it One6Five Broadway. Two years
ago, Aunchman’s grandfather passed away and
left him a 140-acre flower nursery business in
Comstock.
“Running a pizzeria is a lot of work and you
tend to put the long days, the long hours, ahead
of yourself,” he said.
“After 10 or 12 years in the
business, I was at a point where I wanted more
personal growth. I wanted to take care of myself. We
always talked about growing our own tomatoes for
the pizzeria, but we never really got into it. I went
up to the farm to do something for myself, and I
just started growing chickens. In typical fashion
of the way we’ve done things with the business, I
went out and bought 300 baby chickens.”
Aunchman began researching ways to work
with local farms to buy protein and vegetables for
his restaurant. At the same time, he began doing
cross-fit, where emphasis is placed on a whole food
lifestyle and knowing where the food comes from.
“We live in such an agriculturally rich area, and
here I never even knew it. We had 140-acres and had to drive by 10 farms just to get there, and I
was buying my meat at a grocery store. It opened
my eyes to the niche of locally-raised protein and
vegetables,” said Aunchman.
Aunchman sites the plethora of knowledge and
nutritional information available to consumers.
“We’re creating a business based on you
knowing what you need, and not someone on TV
telling you what you need. We just facilitate that by
building your meals around your macros,” he said.
Macro Nu is short for Macro Nu-trition. It
is a personal catering business. Aunchman and
staff take locally grown meat and vegetables,
and prepare meals with chefs. Meals are cooled,
weighed and cut, packaged as a to-go meal, and
delivered to clients. Packs are sold and able to be
refrigerated.
“It’s basically whole foods that are ready to go
when you’re ready to eat. It’s like Nutrisystem but
with whole foods,” said Aunchman.
The company delivers food twice a week. For
people who eat Macro Nu, the protein is never
older than four days,” Aunchman said.
Aunchman is working with several local
gyms in the immediate Glens Falls area to
develop subscription-based, restaurant-quality
transformation packets. There will be a three-week
minimum commitment. He said the price-point
will be “considerably lower” than regular consumer
prices, although the details are still being discussed.
Aunchman has expansive plans for the company, including solar power on the farm and
expanding into other regions.
“Within three years, I’d like for anyone to be able
to order on the internet from anywhere on the East
Coast, and have that Macro Nu meal prepared by
professionals in the area with food grown in the
area,” said Aunchman. Negotiations are already
underway with a restaurant in New Hampshire.
Aunchman is also developing an online
ordering site.
Aunchman’s vision has carried over into how
he does business with One6Five Broadway.
“We pared the menu down to eliminate all
processed foods aside from condiments. We
have the highest quality product out of any other
pizzeria in the area. We don’t charge a premium
for that–it’s still reasonably priced. That’s how
it ties in. I know people coming into the pizzeria
are in a hurry, and I want to make sure I give
them the most nutritious thing I can based on the
parameters of it being a pizzeria,” he said.
Macro Nu is located at 216 Quaker Road
in Queensbury. Aunchman can be reached at
378-6892. The website is www.macronu.com