Healthy berry treats selling like crazy in Whitefish
<p><strong>Detail of a</strong> Big Mountain bowl that comes with the açai blend, granola, banana, strawberries, kiwi, honey, coconut shavings and bee pollen. This bowl had added mango and huckleberries. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Not many people have an “aha” moment on a Hawaiian beach that leads to a new business venture, but a lucky few do. That’s where the idea for Mountain Berry Bowls was born.
Owners Lindley and Jared Lynch launched their new, innovative product in mid-June at a proven successful platform: The Whitefish Farmers Market. The response to the Lynchs’ berry bowls and bright purple trailer has been more than they could have ever imagined while on that beach in Hawaii.
“We have gotten so much support from the locals and the response has been amazing,” Lindley said.
The bowls are based around a sweet, açai berry puree, topped with granola, assorted fruits, and honey, along with a span other different toppings.
Lindley, 27-year-old Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, native, came to Whitefish as a second-grade teacher after getting a degree from the University of Montana. Jared, 26, came to Whitefish from Atlanta 10 years ago and now works as works full time at Sportsman and Ski Haus in the snowboard and biking department.
Both are active hikers, mountain bikers and snowboarders in the Flathead Valley area. Jared is a frequent user of the mountain biking trails on Big Mountain, and he’s got the road rash to prove it. The açai berry, high in energy, antioxidants and health benefits, is a sustainable food to fuel those hobbies.
As the only açai berry bowl retailer in the state, Mountain Berry Bowls has tapped into a niche. Without wasting much time, the pair found and purchased a trailer in May and launched a social media presence to advertise their vendor business. Since opening a Facebook page in June, they’ve accumulated 645 likes.
It’s usually just the Lynchs serving bowls, but Lindley said they sometimes receive help from friends or family.
“We’re definitely trying to be proactive toward growth,” Jared said. “And I think Whitefish is a really good place to grow.”
Whitefish Farmers Market Manager Sue Moll has already seen the growing interest in Mountain Berry Bowls. She’s not surprised by the community support for the first-year vendor.
“Our market is a very social market, people come down for dinner and to listen to music,” Moll said. “[Mountain Berry Bowls] is very popular and it’s a healthy alternative. We embrace that kind of thing.”
The menu features the names of
recognizable peaks in the area — Heaven’s Peak, Going-to-the-Sun, Little Ripper and the Siyeh Açai bowls. Sizes range from a 16-ounce cup to a 32-ounce bucket.
Their açai berries come from Sambazon, a California company and the largest açai berry outlet in the world. The fruit is harvested in the Amazon jungle.
From beach to trailer to potential franchising opportunities, it’s hard to imagine what’s in store for the bright purple bowl trailer in the months and years to come.
“People have already talked to us about franchising in different places and we’re still wondering how they even heard about us,” Lindley said. “It’s all happened so quick, but it came together and worked out perfectly.”
The Mountain Berry Bowls trailer can usually be found on Baker Avenue in front of the Whitefish VFW, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and every Tuesday at the Whitefish Farmers Market, weather permitting.
Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.