We’re Willie and Nancy Johnson-Rauen, proud owners of Indigo Bowls, which started as a solar-powered food truck serving delicious açaí bowls and has now expanded to our first brick and mortar. Our journey started in 2021 when we took a trip to Arizona. While we were there, we tried açaí bowls for the first time. Nancy’s son Josh had talked about how good açaí bowls were on a trip he took to Florida. We saw a place called Berry Divine in Sedona and immediately fell in love with them and were hooked! We enjoyed the bowls so much that first time, we ended up eating them four straight days both in Sedona and then in Tempe. The idea of opening a business around them sparked on our final day in Arizona. We wanted to bring açaí bowls to southeastern Minnesota, where there were none at the time.
At first, we thought about opening a brick-and-mortar store, but when we looked into renting space in Rochester, we found the costs were too high. That’s when we decided to pursue our dream with a food truck. In 2022, we found a food truck on an online auction in Canada that fit what we were looking and won the bidding. Willie flew to Montreal, Canada and made the 19-hour drive back to Minnesota in the truck. There were a few challenges along the way, including a transmission issue just an hour into the drive. Luckily, the problem was minor, and he was able to make it back to get the repair work done, so we could continue on our journey.
We wanted our business to be as eco-friendly as possible, so we decided to install solar panels and batteries to power the truck, which meant we didn’t need a traditional generator. We worked with Joule Case in Seattle to set up the battery/solar-powered system. We also had Chameleon Concessions in Minneapolis renovate the interior of the truck, updating the floor and walls, adding extra large windows for serving, adding electricity and refrigeration to help us serve the best bowls possible. Our bowls are served in compostable containers, and we use eco-friendly spoons to align with our commitment to sustainability.
On June 1, 2023, we had our grand opening at Zumbrota’s third annual Block Party. We set a goal to sell 100 bowls, but we ended up selling 114, which was a great success for our debut. Our food truck travels around southeastern Minnesota, serving at events like the Lake City Farmers Market, Gold Rush Days in Oronoco, Sargent’s Smooth Summer Nights in Rochester and River City Days in Red Wing, as well as outdoor concerts and high school sporting events. For our truck, we post our schedule every Sunday on social media so people can track where to find us each week.
Our bowls are unique because of the Berry Divine soft serve açaí base, which is sorbet like and smooth in texture. The bowls can be topped with a variety of fruits, drizzles, granola and other toppings. Our menu includes a variety of customizable bowls, with gluten free and vegan options as well. We’ve got creative options like the Peanut Butter and Jelly Bowl and the Volcano Bowl, which has a spicy kick.
After two years of success with the food truck, we’re excited to announce that we’re opening a permanent location in Rochester! Our new store will be near Century High School, and we can’t wait to have a more stable year-round presence. The food truck is great for the summer, but with the cold Minnesota winters, we knew we needed a more consistent option.
When we first started, we didn’t expect to expand so quickly, but the timing felt right when we found the perfect location. The store will offer more space for our operations including our food truck. We’re excited to bring our eco-friendly practices into the store, including our compostable materials. We’ll continue running the food truck during the warmer months, but the store will give us a more regular way to serve our customers year-round.
Our journey hasn’t been without challenges, but it’s been incredibly rewarding. We’ve learned so much along the way, and we’re looking forward to seeing where this adventure takes us. With the support of our growing fan base and our dedication to providing healthy, sustainable food, we’re ready to take Indigo Bowls to the next level. We’re excited to continue serving delicious açaí bowls, whether from our solar-powered food truck or our new brick-and-mortar store.
