Playa Bowls, a Belmar-based superfruit bowl shop, is celebrating a high-growth year marked by significant domestic and international expansion, robust franchise commitments, and extensive industry recognition.
The brand reported closing out the year with a strong upward trajectory, announcing 85 new shops opened in 2025 and securing more than 200 signed franchise commitments. This activity included 32 new multi-unit development agreements signed in the latter half of the year, entering 2026 with one of its most diverse development pipelines in company history.
Playa Bowls continued to widen its national footprint by debuting its first shops in key metropolitan and mid-sized markets, including:
- Dallas and Houston, TX
- Nashville, TN
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Burlington, VT
- Kansas City, KS
The new multi-unit agreements will further accelerate expansion across priority growth states like Wisconsin, Nevada, South Carolina and Indiana, marking the brand’s first-ever shops in several Midwestern and Western states in 2026.
Jayson Tipp, chief development officer of Playa Bowls, highlighted the confidence in the brand’s model.
“The momentum we’re seeing from multi-unit franchise partners reflects the strength of a brand that continues to lead its category,” he said. Notably, 70% of the year’s new multi-unit commitments came from existing owners, demonstrating strong operator satisfaction and belief in the concept.
Beyond its development milestones, Playa Bowls received numerous accolades in 2025, including:
- Ranking No. 1 in the açaí bowl category on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500.
- Placements on the Franchise Times Top 400 and Fast Casual’s Movers & Shakers list.
- Recognition from Franchise Business Review (FBR) as a Top Franchise, Most Profitable Franchise, and Top Food Franchise for Veterans.
Looking ahead, CEO John Cappasola stated the focus remains on “strengthening our teams, elevating the guest experience, and nurturing a culture that keeps the brand meaningful in the communities we serve.” The brand plans to continue expanding its national footprint in both traditional and non-traditional formats while maintaining its fresh, community-centric identity.
