In recent years, fast food has pivoted away from burgers and fries in favor of smoothies, salads, artisanal protein bars, and other types of healthy foods that can be prepared fast. Superfoods like acai, spirulina, and reishi get featured in colorful bowls splashed all over Instagram by food and fitness influencers. But as offices are filling once again and even the most health-conscious people are tired of making all their meals at home after doing so for a year and a half, investor Mark Hauser saw an opportunity that couldn’t be missed: a fast-growing smoothie and acai bowl chain, Playa Bowls.
Playa Bowls was founded in New Jersey by surfers Abby Taylor and Robert Giuliani after they were seeking the ideal foods that would keep them satiated through long sessions riding the waves. The pair eventually discovered acai bowls, made with the antioxidant-rich dark purple berries endemic to South America, as well as pitaya bowls made with red or purple dragonfruit. The bowls are blended with other fruits, vegetables, and nutritional boosters like protein powder, then topped with nuts, fresh or dried fruit, granola, and seeds, making them the perfect dish that could satisfy even the strongest athletes before or after a workout.
Taylor and Guiliani opened their shop in Belmar, New Jersey near the Jersey Shore and it instantly became a hit with locals. Even people who don’t surf or engage in sports came to adore the acai and pitaya bowls for sale, and it wasn’t long before Playa Bowls started opening more stores. Customers seeking food made with healthy, fresh ingredients that could keep them going for long work days or caring for the household now found it.
The idea of “healthy fast food” where you don’t have to compromise good nutrition for convenience in a quick-serve or to-go environment quickly caught on, and Playa Bowls grew to 126 stores in the United States with a franchising model–where the Playa mission isn’t just about colorful acai bowls that are both healthy and pleasant to look at, but selling a lifestyle as well.
Mark Hauser, an investor with over 30 years of experience turning promising companies into household names, recognized that Playa Bowls would be a game-changer in the fast-casual sector of the restaurant business. While fast-casual chains took a beating in the pandemic, being primarily reliant on office and school crowds, Hauser recognized that Playa Bowls’ large and diverse customer base demonstrated a difference in what today’s fast-casual customer is seeking when ordering out. “Pandemic fatigue” is a huge motivator, but so is overall concern about health–which is why the juice and smoothie industry is a billion-dollar one. If one wants to have acai and pitaya bowls regularly, they may not always have the time or ingredients available locally to prepare them at home.
As a philanthropist, Mark Hauser also believes that Playa Bowls’ focus on sustainability and being responsible stewards of the environment aligns with his own beliefs in addition to the company’s massive growth potential.
