With almost 100 units and franchisees to care for, Gilad and his wife Tara had to work quickly
From Nation’s Restaurant News – Vitality Bowls, the San Ramon, Calif.-based health-focused acai bowl restaurant, has reached almost 100 units since its 2011 founding by husband/wife team Roy and Tara Gilad, and its 2014 leap into franchising. Inspired by their own daughter’s dietary restrictions, the Gilads founded Vitality Bowls to meet customers’ needs, and that didn’t change during COVID.
Read CEO Roy Gilad’s story about surviving the pandemic:
“It is safe to say that the past year has been a whirlwind for all of us, and over the last nine months of the pandemic, we have faced a great deal of doubt, uncertainty and disbelief.
As restaurant-industry professionals, we have learned to cope, adapt and redirect our efforts toward solutions that keep our businesses going, and through it all, we have learned that goodwill can bring people together to generate hope for the future in times of need.
At Vitality Bowls, we pivoted as soon as the pandemic hit to implement methods of engaging customers and helping our franchise owners make an impact in their communities.
Our franchisees began making frequent food donations to hospitals, emergency centers and city organizations, providing them with healthy meals to keep them energized throughout the day as they fought on the frontlines. The initiative was so well received that one of our locations quickly reached a milestone of donating over 250 smoothies and 50 bagged meals to area hospitals.
Through the donations, local residents and other frontline workers realized that Vitality Bowls is more than just a neighborhood café – we are a trusted partner of the community. Our franchisees provided local residents with a pathway to show their support, too, which resulted in a number of donation-match programs hosted by Vitality Bowls locations across the region.
As we face the new normal, there are practices our industry has adopted to weather the pandemic that we envision as long-term. We may not know what the future holds as we continue to navigate and cope, but we are certain that together, we can generate hope and make great things happen. Giving back to your community in times of need and providing outlets for others to make a difference are just a few of the silver linings that we can expect to remain present, no matter the difficulty of the situation or uncertainty of the future.”
From @eatdrinkstl – “Took the girls to try @vitalitybowlsstl and everyone LOVED it! We had the Roasted Turkey Panini, Veggie Panini, Avocado Toast, Kid’s Bowl, and smoothies, but the favorite was Definitely the Superfood Bowl! Here is what it’s made of…
I was seriously impressed with how long the Acai managed to stay frozen even though we were taking photos for a bit, and the girls eat super slow LOL.
Their location in Richmond Heights was spotless, and Jared and his staff were super friendly! They did a great job getting everything out quickly even though there was a pretty decent line. they even have a little patio out front if you want to enjoy your food in the sun. Highly recommend!”
Leading Health Food Franchise Ranks On List of 500 Largest United States Franchise Brands
From Franchising.com in DANVILLE, Calif. – Vitality Bowls has been named to the 2020 Franchise Times’ Top 200+ list among 500 of the largest and most reputable franchise systems in the United States. This is the national superfood café brand’s third consecutive appearance on the list, climbing 41 spots to #446 from last year’s #487 ranking.
The brand’s recognition on this distinguished list is a reflection of the continuous growth Vitality Bowls has seen over the past year, resulting in nearly 140 locations now open or in development across the United States.
“We are thrilled to be ranked on the Franchise Times Top 200+ List for the third consecutive year,” said Roy Gilad, CEO of Vitality Bowls. “The recognition is a true testament to the companionship, hard work and innovation we have seen from our team members, especially throughout the pandemic, and we look forward to building on the momentum as we continue to grow in the years ahead.”
Using a combination of companies’ voluntary reports and the most recent franchise disclosure documents, the Franchise Times Top 200+ is an annual ranking of the 500 largest franchise systems in the United States by global systemwide sales, based on the previous year’s performance. The project is the outcome of a five-month research and reporting effort each year that results in the most credible and objective franchise ranking available.
Originating in Northern California, Vitality Bowls has solidified itself as America’s superfood café – combining a dynamic café vibe with a unique collection of menu items containing high nutritional values and extraordinary tastes. The brand specializes in açaí bowls – a thick blend of the Amazon’s antioxidant-rich açaí berry, topped with a variety of superfoods and all items are made to order and prepared in a kitchen designed to avoid cross contact for customers with food allergies. All of the brand’s bowls and smoothies are free of ingredient fillers such as ice, frozen yogurt or artificial preservatives, giving the purest taste possible.
Individuals interested in owning a Vitality Bowls franchise should have management experience including performance management and hiring, as well as a passion for healthy living, their community and inspiring their teams. Successful franchise owners are often health minded, nutritionally conscious, energetic and focused on the customer experience.
To learn more information about the brand, visit the company website.
About Vitality Bowls
Roy and Tara Gilad founded Vitality Bowls in 2011 in San Ramon, California. The duo started the superfood café concept as a result of discovering their daughter’s severe food allergies and wanting to find safe, healthy food alternatives. Since franchising began in 2014, the brand has grown to more than 135 cafés open and in development. In 2018, Vitality Bowls was named to Franchise Times 200+ list, Inc. Magazine’s 500/5000 list and Restaurant Business’s Future 50 list. In 2019, Vitality Bowls was ranked #15 and #62 on Entrepreneur’s Top Food Franchise in Miscellaneous Quick-Service Restaurants and Top New Franchises lists, respectively. The brand also received the Best Franchise to Buy – New Ethnic Eats Category 2019 Zor Award and was listed in the Top 200+ List for franchises based on global systemwide sales by Franchise Times.
About the Franchise Times Top 200+
The Franchise Times Top 200+® is the only ranking by systemwide sales and units of the largest 500 U.S.-based franchise brands. Published in the October issue and available in a searchable database online, the Franchise Times Top 200+ also analyzes industry sectors based on percentage change in sales growth, reports the 10 fastest-growing franchises by four different measures, and includes exclusive news stories about the biggest names in franchising. The rankings and full report, and the searchable online database.
From Nation’s Restaurant News –Apple Pie Bowl: Açai, strawberries, banana, almond butter, cinnamon, apple juice and almond milk topped with granola, banana, apple, mulberries, honey and cinnamon, $13.49-$14.99
By Doug Coats at Lake Norman Citizen – A Cornelius couple is bringing more healthy options to the West Catawba corridor.
Ted and Karine Flinter opened their Vitality Bowls franchise in late July in a space formerly occupied by Starbucks. They’re offering more than a dozen kinds of acaí bowls, along with smoothies, paninis, soups and salads. But customers can get more than just a boost of complex nutrients with a catchy name. They’ll have the opportunity to hear the stories of international travel the Flinters have experienced.
Ted was a major in the U.S. Marine Corps, and he landed a job training foreign militaries and police. After meeting Karine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they’ve also lived in Kosovo, Abu Dhabi and eastern Africa.
Owning a business locally means they can get to know the community where they’ve owned a home since 2013 better. They have plans on building two more stores in the Charlotte area.
“We have three young children, and every summer we come here for two months since it’s so hot in the Middle East,” Ted Flinter said. “We’ve gotten to know our neighbors a lot better since we opened the café. That’s been a great element of getting our café open.”
Vitality Bowls is offering dine-in service with their patio space, but also online ordering for pickup or delivery. Flinter said the store is filling a demand for healthy eating, and with gyms opening this month at 30 percent capacity, looks to capitalize on fellow health-driven businesses. They offer 10 percent off to customers who show proof of a gym membership.
“We picked this location because a lot of the gyms, Planet Fitness and other fitness studios are around us,” he said. “It was a little bit concerning when we were opening up, with them slowly opening up and seeing a lot of new faces of people coming in from gyms.”
Ted and Karine Flinter opened Vitality Bowls on One Norman Boulevard in July. /Courtesy of Ted Flinter
The bowls range from $7.49 for a small dessert or breakfast bowl, to most of the menu costing $12.49 for a medium and $13.99 for a large. Some of the most popular, Flinter said, are the Vitality Bowl (strawberries, banana, flax seed), Nutty Bowl (banana, strawberries, peanut butter) and Warrior Bowl (raspberries, broccoli, almond milk).
For a liquefied treat, there’s the Matcha Madness smoothie and paninis for the savory crowd.
“It’s looking at taking real foods, organic where we can, non-GMO, and taking a healthy approach to providing a menu that’s appealing to people looking to follow dietary guidelines that are going to give them a balanced diet and healthy foods,” Flinter said.
Though “Main Street Lake Norman” may not look anything like the streets of the Middle East or African jungles, Flinter said his former life can still be beneficial in the food business.
“My wife and I have traveled the world and love learning stories and sharing ours,” he said. “We’ve got a great audience, and when you travel the world and meet lots of people, we like to think our store is welcoming and have had a cross section of people coming in and out of the world.”
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