It can be quite hard to find fruity and tropical treats in Alaska, but Acai Alaska has just that! Locally owned and operated by Rebecca and Nate, whom you can find everyday working hard to keep everything running smoothly.
“Neither of us every thought we’d be doing this (owning a small business), but here we are, and it was a great decision.” -Rebecca
They were not always small business owners though; Rebecca worked in the oil industry for fifteen years until it slowed down and she was unemployed for a year. She ended up taking an entrepreneur class and decided to become her own boss. On Facebook, she saw an advertisement saying Acai Alaska was for sale by its previous owners, and shortly after she became the new owner. Rebecca ran it mainly by herself for the first year, which she said was incredibly difficult, so Nate came in after that. Nate was a teacher who had worked in the food industry before and was excited to work in it once again. Together they make a great team from creating their own Kombucha to designing delicious Acai bowls.
“Something we are very proud of is that almost everything that is disposable here is green, not only biodegradable, which can take thousands of years, but compostable.” -Rebecca
As for the food Acai Alaska offers they have everything from Acai bowls and smoothies, to grilled cheese sandwiches and rice bowls. The majority of their items are dairy free or vegan, especially all of the smoothie base blends. They are made using pure unsweetened Sambazon Acai puree. Nate especially enjoys creating beautiful and mouth watering bowls for guests. He said it makes him happy to see customers enjoying something he created.
“The food we sell here we believe in and we incorporate the healthy items we sell into our personal lives.” -Nate
Nate and Rebecca both strive for not only happy guests but also a caring staff. Being a small business they only have a few other employees besides themselves. They said having such a small staff makes it feel like a family that they can trust and joke around with. They also have previous employees come back for Acai Alaska’s mouthwatering food, knowing the process of how well it is made.
“Any staff member we hire we regard as family…we have great interactions with staff. It means the world to us to see staff interacting well with guests.” -Nate
Health and wellness are of high importance to Rebecca and Nate, both having been smokers earlier in their lives, they have focused in on the benefits of eating nutrient rich foods and living an active lifestyle. Rebecca even makes her own kombucha, which is packed with vitamins and nutrients. She sells it at Acai Alaska and guests can bring in a growler to buy enough to bring home. Recycling is also important to them. From spending extra funds to get biodegradable containers for smoothies and bowls, to making Amaze balls from leftover toppings.
Looking towards the future, Nate and Rebecca have lots of fun and exciting goals. One of their largest goals for 2020 is to be at the Alaska State Fair. They know it will take a lot of work, but that is what being a small business owner entails. Expanding connections with other local businesses is another future goal Acai Alaska has. Most importantly though, Nate and Rebecca want to keep their delicious items affordable for guests that appreciate the love put into each and every part of Acai Alaska.
Support Alaskan small businesses and pop into Acai Alaska for a healhty treat!
