Minnesota Business Success Story: Nautical Bowls
Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 5:51AMArticle by Becky Fillinger
Nautical Bowls is a local success story. Just three years ago, the company occasionally brought their food truck to the Mill District. Founded in 2018 in Minnetonka, the company now has over 90 franchise locations and will be a new food at the State Fair this year. We talked to co-founder Rachel Amundson about the theme of the company, charity partnerships and what you can expect when you order one of their delicious bowls.
Rachel Amundson with husband Bryant and family.
Q: What inspired the company name, Nautical Bowls?
A: My husband Bryant and I chose the name because we are both Minnesota-grown and we love the lakes. We wanted a fun theme to incorporate our love for the lakes, so you’ll find it throughout our décor in our store and in the names of our signature bowls. Lake life is fun and outdoorsy and adventurous – that’s us.
Q: I remember your food truck two years ago in the Mill District. Did you use the truck to gauge interest in communities before building the store locations?
A: Yes, we used the food truck as a marketing tool to get around the Twin Cities before the store concept for Nautical Bowls took off. We still use it for very large or food truck specific events. We are now franchising stores – we have 91 locations - but not trucks.
The Nautical Bowls food truck was popular at the Stone Arch Bridge Festival last month.
Q: What might we experience if we order a bowl? Can we customize our order?
A: Yes, of course. We do love to direct people to our ten signature bowls if you’re new because we’ve crafted them to be a good combination of taste and textures. We have ten signature superfood bowls - our ingredients are gluten free, organic, dairy free, plant based and full of vitamins and nutrients. It’s fast, convenient food that is delicious and so good for you to fuel your busy life. If you want to be creative or love a particular ingredient, you can of course walk through the menu and build your own delicious creation.
Q: You are partnering with Venture - could you tell us more about it?
A: Venture is an awesome organization. For every bowl that is purchased at Nautical Bowls, a meal is donated to a child in Southeast Asia. We are so thankful to be part of their ‘buy a bowl – give a meal’ program. It feels like a small contribution, but we know that we are putting meals in the mouths of children who need it.
Q: How may we follow your news?
A: Please follow us on social media, Facebook and Instagram, and also join our loyalty program – download the app. With the app, you’ll receive our email notifications and earn free delicious bowls. Visit us at our Twin Cities locations too!
A new store is projected to open in Dinkytown this September, and a North Loop location is also being planned.
