BY THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH – Ohio’s first Vitality Bowls opens Thursday at 1510 Stone Creek Drive South in Pickerington.
The California-based restaurant chain specializes in acai bowls — a thick blend of the Amazon’s antioxidant-rich acai berry, topped with a variety of superfoods such as graviola, acerola, mangosteen and spirulina.
The new franchise location will be the first for Terry and Cyndi Roberts, who plan to open a second cafe in the greater Columbus area.
BY DAILY EMERALD – Eight years ago, Vitality Bowls originated in Northern California and set out with one menu item and a goal in mind to create a healthy, fulfilling meal. Founders Roy and Tara Gilad stumbled upon the idea for a superfood restaurant when they were struggling to find somewhere that accommodated their daughter’s severe food allergies. Since 2011, Vitality Bowls has expanded across the country to over 60 locations; their next one is opening in Eugene on Jan. 31 within the Coburg Station on 440 Coburg Rd.
The owner of the soon-to-be-opened supercafe is Sweet Home native Jessica Hufford. Hufford now lives in the Coburg area and wanted a restaurant in her community that made a difference by introducing delicious, healthy food options into the area. Similar to the founders, Hufford got involved with Vitality Bowls because of her dietary restrictions and the need for more places that had a transparent menu.
“The first time that I ate [at Vitality Bowls] I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I knew right away,” Hufford said. “I really appreciate their mission in creating a healthier community.”
Hufford and the Gilad’s reference to Vitality Bowls being “transparent” pertains to the extensive list of any and all ingredients inside each item, listed right there on the menu. Nothing is ever pre-made and cross-contamination is avoided by making sure everything is made fresh to order. Hufford said it is important for customers to know what is in their food so they can be educated while ordering and make an informed decision that benefits their health.
“You can add or change anything in your item that you choose,” Hufford said.
Vitality Bowls was first centered around Açaí bowls and the item remains the most prominent option on the menu.
The amount of fresh ingredients in açai bowls is exhaustive. The base can be blended with any combination of fruits and vegetables along with the option of seeds, boosts and more. The bowl is then topped off with a choice of granola, honey, bee pollen and/or berries, among other options.
“There’s really nothing else in Eugene that offers the same level of superfood ingredients,” Hufford said.
Hufford decided to partner with Vitality Bowls as opposed to other superfood options because of the diversity of the menu. Not only does the supercafe have açai bowls, but they also offer salads, paninis, soups, smoothies, juices and coffee. They carefully source their ingredients and prioritize serving only the best and healthiest superfood options.
According to Hufford, açai berries actually have 15 times more antioxidants than blueberries — that’s what makes the bowls so “super.” While the science is still out on whether antioxidants are the all-encompassing cure to cell damage that can lead to any number of diseases, the US Government recommends eating the fruits and vegetables that are often associated with high antioxidant levels.
The claim is that antioxidants can help fight “free radicals,” which are chaotic cells that can be created from smoking, pollution, sunlight and exercise. These free radicals are said to cause cell damage that can lead to cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and nearly any disease or condition imaginable.
Multiple double-blind studies, The Women’s Health Study and The Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study,both sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health couldn’t prove these claims to be true. Still, this is not to say that açaí berries and foods similar aren’t indeed healthy and beneficial.
Vitality Bowls serves 14 different açaí bowl combinations, 13 fresh fruit-blended smoothies, nine freshly-squeezed juices, five panini options, two salad options and a rotating soup option; they also offer pour over coffee. Panini choices range from a steak sirloin sandwich with mozzarella, onions, spinach and Dijon to a more adventurous sandwich with bananas, peanut butter and honey.
With the city-sponsored ribbon cutting of Vitality Bowls happening on the morning of Jan. 31 at 11 a.m., it won’t be long until the trend of superfood sweeps through Eugene.
BY RESTAURANTBUSINESSONLINE.COM – Vitality Bowls, a rapidly growing fast casual, has updated several salads and paninis to focus on ingredients believed to have healing properties, such as turmeric and acai. The new kale salad features quinoa, hemp seeds, goat cheese and other veggies, dressed with a turmeric mustard vinaigrette, while the spinach salad is tossed with antioxidant-rich goji berries and housemade acai balsamic vinaigrette. On the panini side, there’s a vegetarian offering layered with mozzarella, spinach, avocado, pesto and red onion.
BY NEWS & RECORD GREENSBORO – Vitality Bowls, a cafe specializing in acai bowls and antioxidant-rich drinks, makes its North Carolina debut with a shop opening Thursday at 3345 Battleground Ave. at Westridge Square in Greensboro.
Originating in Northern California, Vitality Bowls is a chain specializing in bowls that feature a thick blend of the Amazon’s antioxidant-rich acai berry topped with a variety of “superfood” ingredients such as graviola, spirulina, hemp seeds, pitaya, coconut milk, bananas, strawberries and honey.
The café will also offer fresh juices, soups, panini sandwiches and salads.
A coffee bar will offer espresso and superfood drinks.
It is the first shop for franchisees Michael and Therese Lopez. Following this opening, the Lopezes are planning to open two more locations in Winston-Salem and Chapel Hill.
Vitality Bowls joins CoreLife Eatery, another healthier-eating option specializing in greens and grain bowls, which recently opened at 1430 Westover Terrace.
BY THE BELLINGHAM HERALD – Barkley movie-goers will soon have a new healthy food option that the owners hope will also be a hit with the rest of the neighborhood.
Work is underway to replace TCBY with Vitality Bowls near the Regal Barkley Village movie theater. It should be open this spring said Amanda White, who is opening the cafe with her husband Josh White.
The cafe will offer a variety of fast-casual healthy food, including bowls, smoothies, juices, salads, soups and sandwiches. It will be open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and during the evening movies.
Amanda White said they also plan on offering catering services for nearby businesses and schools.
While it will be a fast-casual format, the cafe will also be a place to hang out with a fireplace and a business meeting room. Along with movie-goers, White is hoping to attract regulars from the neighborhood. She believes the menu will draw them in, offering fresh ingredients without offering fillers like ice, frozen yogurt, sugar or artificial preservatives.
“I think it will be a great way for people to refuel, especially after a workout,” White said.
After the Barkley cafe opens, the Whites plan on looking at other nearby areas to open smaller cafes. A franchise company, Vitality Bowls has expanded from its start in 2011 in California. It now has more than 100 cafes open or in development, according to a company news release.
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