Health food shop Playa Bowls opens new Hackensack location, continuing statewide trend
Health food restaurant chain Playa Bowls opened its 72nd New Jersey store on Main Street in Hackensack, the company announced Monday, marking the 200th location nationwide.
The bowls — made with a base of pureed, frozen fruit and topped with fresh fruit, granola, coconut and other treats — represent one of the fastest-growing food trends, replacing frozen yogurt shops in New Jersey's downtowns.
Playa Bowls, based in Belmar, is positioned to ride the wave of America's infatuation with so-called "superfoods" — nutrient-dense foods containing antioxidants that are believed to provide health benefits.
According to marketing analytics firm Nielsen, 72% of global consumers said they would buy items that include these superfoods.
The acai (pronounced a-sigh-EE) and smoothie bowl concept combines several ingredients. It gives customers an ice-cream- or frozen-yogurt-like cold treat without the dairy. It allows you to customize your bowl by selecting toppings. And it benefits from the current, in-demand superfood status of acai berries.
“What we’re seeing is that the affluent consumer is still looking for good food fast, and this provides an opportunity for them,” said Darren Tristano, CEO and founder of FoodService Results, a marketing research and consulting firm.
“For those looking for better lifestyle, better, healthier foods, better flavor and taste, and certainly anyone who has medical issues that create dietary restrictions, I think these are great options for those that can afford it,” he continued.
Playa Bowls first opened in 2014 and has since expanded to 200 locations across 20 states.
“I think everybody’s kind of woken up to the fact that if we kind of eat a little bit better and kind of watch what we’re putting into our body, it’ll kind of work a little bit better,” Jerry Eicke, the owner and operator of the Hackensack location, said in an interview. “I think that maybe even a little bit more coming off the pandemic … health is a little bit more of an awareness.”
Eicke opened Bergen County’s first franchise location in 2018. This shop is situated at The Brick, a luxury apartment building at 150 Main St. in Hackensack.
The 1,700-square-foot store marks Playa Bowls’ 71st franchise agreement this year.
Eicke, a Jersey Shore resident, previously worked in finance, he said, but changed paths to salad restaurants and then Playa Bowls.
"It has a lot of nice benefits that I appreciate," he said in 2018 when opening his first store. "No dairy, a lot of gluten-free and vegan options. Fresh produce. I'm trying to continually watch my health, and it was in line with what I wanted to do with the next stage of my career."
Eicke said the primary demographic skews younger — teens to mid-30s — and more toward female than male buyers. But demographics have changed.
“If you looked at the line five years ago, it would probably be all younger girls on the line, but if you looked at this line now, it’s guys, it’s girls, it’s parents, it’s moms,” Eicke said.
Tristano suggested that women in general tend to gravitate more toward health-conscious food options, and the topic has been the subject of much scientific debate.
For example, Harvard Medical School found in a study that women were 50% more likely than their male counterparts to eat healthier food options.
A niche idea
Tristano warned that the superfood trend could very well lead to market saturation in the U.S.
But one thing Playa Bowls has going for it is that the store’s bowl concept is difficult to replicate by any competitors, “because of the quality and freshness of the ingredients,” Tristano said.
“There’s still a good niche for them,” he said.
Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.
Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Playa Bowls opens new store in Hackensack NJ this week
