# Playa Bowls

> Playa Bowls is a Belmar, New Jersey-born quick-service restaurant company built around made-to-order superfruit bowls, smoothies, juices, oatmeal and cold brew. Founded by surfers Abby Taylor and Rob Giuliani in 2014, it translated a beach-town discovery into a franchise system whose compact, no-cook shops, customizable menu and recognizable coastal atmosphere have carried the brand into more than 400 locations. Acquired by Sycamore Partners in 2024, Playa now sits at the intersection of snack, better-for-you fast casual and lifestyle retail.

- **Founded:** 2014
- **Headquarters:** Belmar, New Jersey, United States
- **Founders:** Abby Taylor (Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer), Rob Giuliani (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** Approximately 2,400 people across the broader system according to the supplied company record; LinkedIn lists 201-500 corporate employees and displays roughly 2,300 associated profiles.
- **Products:** Superfruit bowls, Smoothies and juices, Cold brew and complementary snacks, Playa Rewards, Franchise program
- **Notable:** Opened its 200th restaurant in 2023., Opened 54 shops and reported a double-digit comparable-store-sales increase in 2023., Reached nearly 300 locations by the end of 2024 after opening 74 shops that year.

## Products & services

- **Superfruit bowls** — Made-to-order bowls built on açaí, pitaya, coconut, green, mango, banana, oatmeal and rotating bases, with fruit, granola, nut butters and other toppings.
- **Smoothies and juices** — Blended smoothies, fresh juices and cold-pressed juice options that extend the menu beyond bowls.
- **Cold brew and complementary snacks** — Cold brew drinks, protein bites and other grab-and-go items designed for additional dayparts.
- **Playa Rewards** — A mobile loyalty program for points, offers, store details and customer check-in.
- **Franchise program** — A multi-unit restaurant franchise model with site selection, training, marketing and operating support.
- **Digital ordering and delivery** — Direct and third-party ordering channels that broaden convenience and off-premise sales.

## Achievements

- Opened its 200th restaurant in 2023.
- Opened 54 shops and reported a double-digit comparable-store-sales increase in 2023.
- Reached nearly 300 locations by the end of 2024 after opening 74 shops that year.
- Opened its 300th location in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood in 2025.
- Opened 85 shops in 2025 and entered 2026 with more than 200 signed franchise commitments.
- Surpassed 400 shops, according to the company's current franchise and FAQ pages.
- Ranked No. 1 in the açaí bowls category in Entrepreneur's 2026 Best of the Best ranking and No. 273 on the 2026 Franchise 500.
- Ranked No. 7 on Franchise Times' 2026 Fast & Serious list and was named a Franchise Business Review Top 200 Franchise for 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2024-09** — Sycamore Partners acquired Playa Bowls from Tamarix Equity Partners and other investors for an undisclosed amount.
- **2025-04** — The brand reached its 300th shop with an opening in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood.
- **2025-09** — Playa Bowls announced John Cappasola as CEO and a refreshed executive team focused on franchise growth and West Coast expansion.
- **2025-12** — The company reported 85 openings during 2025, 32 multi-unit agreements in the second half and more than 200 signed franchise commitments.
- **2026-01** — Playa Bowls earned several franchise-industry recognitions, including Entrepreneur's No. 1 açaí bowls category ranking for a second consecutive year.
- **2026-05** — The company announced its 400th shop milestone, with the opening planned for Atlantic Park in Virginia Beach.

## Links

- Website: https://www.playabowls.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/playa-bowls
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/playabowls
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playabowls
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlayaBowls/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@playabowls

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/playa-bowls
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13