The acai (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) berry, found in rainforests of South America (primarily the Brazilian Amazon), is known for its nutritional prowess. Since this berry is very perishable, it is available across the globe in the forms of puree and powder which is then used to make the very trendy acai bowls. How trendy is it? With over 3.6 million posts on Instagram, it is safe to say #acai has an ever-growing appeal as it expands its presence across global menus. We asked experts to help us chart the growing popularity of this superfood, and to weigh in on the nutritional aspect separating marketing from fact.

Bringing acai to Mumbai
The increasing popularity of acai berry and its incorporation into acai bowls has garnered widespread attention in the health and wellness sphere worldwide. While acai bowls have been featured on city menus, they have often used different powders that have not felt close to the real deal. Tropicool Cafe, Mumbai’s first exclusive Brazilian cafe, aims to capitalise on this trend by introducing authentic acai to Indian audiences. “The acai trend is very popular globally and India seemed to lag, so it was a perfect opportunity for us to fill that gap. The Indian consumer today is very well travelled and is very up-to-date with the latest global health trends, so being able to offer them the best acai that is available right from Brazil was an opportunity we couldn’t miss,” says Randall Fernandes, co-founder of Tropicool Cafe.