New Jersey's Playa Bowls grows from a $5,000 cart to 400+ stores and $332 million in sales

What started as a small homemade food cart on a pavement in New Jersey has grown into a fast-casual restaurant chain with more than 400 locations across North America. Playa Bowls was founded in 2014 by local surfers Robert Giuliani and Abby Taylor. In 2026, the company passed the 400-store mark after recording $332 million in total systemwide sales in 2025. Its rapid growth, from a small beachside business to a major national franchise, reflects growing customer interest in healthy and customizable fast-food options.Roots on the Jersey ShoreThe idea for the business came after Giuliani and Taylor spent years travelling to popular surfing destinations, including Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. During their trips, they discovered fruit bowls made with superfoods at small beach huts. They saw a chance to bring the same idea to the American fast-casual market and decided to start a business in their hometown of Belmar, New Jersey. With less than $5,000 to start, the pair built a simple food cart using reclaimed wood, bought a blender, and opened for business outside a local pizza shop on Ocean Avenue. They convinced the building's owner to let them use an outdoor elect...