Health franchise plans to open location in Butler
A new trend in health food alternatives is making its way to Butler.
Founder and CEO Jason Mazzarone confirmed Wednesday that the New York-based franchise SoBol, which serves acai bowls, plans to open a location in town with a goal of opening next summer.
Currently, Mazzarone is seeking an ideal spot in the community for the location, he said. In regard to demographics, household size and schools, Butler is a good match for the franchise's market, Mazzarone said.
The acai berry is a grapelike fruit harvested from acai palm trees native to the rain forests of South America, according to Mayo Clinic. The berry has been popular for 10 years and made its start on the west coast, Mazzarone said.
About the size of a blueberry, the fruit can be blended with other fruits to create parfaits, he said. A staple on the franchise's menu is the original acai bowl, which contains homemade granola, acai purée and an assortment of banana, strawberry, blueberry and coconut, with a drizzle of honey on top.
Inspired by his family's successful business, Papa Mia's Ice House, Mazzarone created the Acai Café in 2012, which later became SoBol in 2014. Since then, the franchise has grown steadily.Mazzarone took his culinary arts degree and background as a chef and teamed up with Jim Kalomiris, who has more than 20 years experience in restaurant management, real estate and construction, and developed SoBol into a franchise.The co-founders found a niche in the fast-casual restaurant market and are now poised to grow quickly through franchise development.Since 2014, acai has grown in popularity as a heart-healthy, Vitamin C-boosting antioxidant-rich food.Since a lease on a location has not been signed, a precise timeline is unknown, he said.However, March, April or May 2020 are projected dates to have the location open for business.Lancaster and Rittenhouse are among other Pennsylvania locations.
