establishments are filled with the racket of blenders, Savitch felt that process slowed everything down and led to flavor and consistency variances. “We pre-blend our bases so they can be scooped into a bowl,” he explains. “It’s faster, and benefits customers with a richer flavor and thicker mouth-feel.” Time of transition Savitch and his then-business partner, Kevin Klasky, a fellow soldier with whom he’d been deployed, launched their acai bowl concept as The Assemblers in April 2015 at a local Kaiser Permanente hospital farmers market. “We sold 40 bowls,” he says. “We didn’t know what to expect, but that felt better than we’d hoped.” One farmers market became four and the lines of fans started to grow, not only with hospital staff, but their friends, neighbors and past visitors. “Everyone asked where they could find us during the week, and we’d have to say, well, we don’t have a store yet,” Savitch says. Renaming the company to Blue Bowl Superfoods and launching a brick-and-mortar location was a time of transition. Klasky made the decision to take advantage of his military college benefits, earning his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at California State Fullerton. At the same time, Savitch caught the interest of Ismael “Ish” Lozano, a sales rep for a food distributor who was selling him acai ingredients, and he came on as a sweat-equity partner. In July 2016, they opened their first store, strategically located next to Children’s Hospital Orange County and St. Joseph’s Hospital. “It all came back to my original concept, that people who work in hospitals have a stressful work environment and need something on the go,” Savitch says. New evolution As Blue Bowl was opening their third location four years ago, Savitch reconnected with Craig Edelman, a high school water polo rival who later became a friend and college roommate. Edelman had relocated to California after several years of running a business incubator in Colombia and joined as a third partner. “That’s when we started thinking more seriously about where we could take the company,” Savitch
says. The answer came in the form of four more stores, located
near medical complexes and universities, and growth to 110 employees. Just like 2016, this will be a year of evolution for Blue Bowl. Their original location recently moved 200 feet to a new medical office tower, and three more sites are in the works, bringing the total to 10. Vera Nedeljkovic, senior vice president and manager of the Temecula Valley branch, says CB&T is looking forward to helping the company continue on this upward trajectory. “We’re honored to be a part of Blue Bowl’s continuous growth. As their banker, I feel privileged they trust my guidance to offer financial solutions tailored to their specific
needs,” she says. “We’re excited to see what the upcoming year will bring and look forward to our continued partnership.” In addition to more
locations, the company is also taking a leap into the consumer-packaged goods space with ReadyBowl. “It’s a grab-and-go
bowl with its own spoon,” Savitch says. “It needed to be a disruptive improvement to existing brands, so it’s scoopable right out of the freezer.” ReadyBowls are available at Children’s Hospital Orange County and
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles currently, and the team is in talks with other hospitals, while exploring possibilities with college campuses, military bases, grocery chains and airports. “We’ve had highs and lows like any business venture, but our partnership is like an old steam train,” Savitch says. “As president and CEO, I’m the conductor, looking out the front at Craig. As CFO and chief product officer, he’s blasting a path with dynamite and laying tracks. Then I turn around to see Ish, who’s our COO and has coal all over his face from shoveling, keeping the stores stocked and functioning. We’re really appreciative for the experience we’re having together, which feels like a once-in-a-lifetime journey.”
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