Back in 2001, I was sitting in a cafe by the beach in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It’s when I fell in love with acai. It was kind of weird at first. It was different, exotic, strange and my brain was trying to identify the flavors. But frankly, I had never tasted anything like it. The traditional Brazilian Acai Bowl is huge and loaded with guarana syrup. Guarana is another berry from the Amazon that has a caffine boost. It also has a unique flavor – something Americans are not familiar with. Together the two make an incredible combination of flavor and nutrition. After doing some research, I discovered that acai is loaded with antioxidants and omega fatty acids. I also noticed that it made me feel really good. After my first bowl, I was hooked. A few years later Nativo Acai was born. Initially, the idea for a business to bring acai from Brazil was to make something I loved available to others because I believed it was an amazing food. However, it turned out to be so much more. It was a phenomenon. We wanted to stay true to the traditional Brazilian way of consuming acai. But acai as a product took many detours before it found it’s way back to where we dreamed it would be. We didn’t waiver from the idea of the “acai bowl” as the best way to consume acai. It wasn’t easy. It took time. But something amazing happened. The acai bowl was reborn in The United States in a healthier and even more delicious version than the traditional Brazilian treat. The acai bowl has been transformed into a conglomeration of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds making it one of the most delicious and healthy meals in the world. Nativo Acai wasn’t the first acai in the United States. I say, so what? We were here before almost anyone knew what acai was. We didn’t try to sell watered down juice or powders. We stayed true to the real thing – Acai bowls. Pure, organic, frozen acai puree in it’s true “nativo” form from the best region of the Brazilian Amazon. If you haven’t tried an acai bowl you need to. Google “acai bowl”. You’ll see it has become an art form. We’re proud to have had a part in making the acai bowl what it is today.
