Operations
Playa Bowls planting flag in Canada
October 21, 2025
Playa Bowls has signed a master franchise agreement with Eat Up Canada Inc. to launch its first international expansion, with plans to open over 160 shops across Canada.
The deal marks a major step for the New Jersey-based super fruit bowl shop, which operates nearly 350 locations in the U.S. and has experienced a surge in domestic growth.
"Playa Bowls is in a fast-growing category with tremendous momentum, and this agreement marks a major step in our strategy to introduce our great-tasting menu full of health conscious options to new markets," John Cappasola, CEO of Playa Bowls, said in a press release
Eat Up Canada, founded by George Heos and Alex Gerzon, specializes in scaling high-growth U.S. restaurant concepts north of the border. The co-founders have a decades-long track record in the restaurant industry, previously building a 50-unit Firehouse Subs portfolio in Canada and expanding the Pokeworks brand.
Heos praised the brand's potential, noting the increasing consumer demand for "better-for-you dining."
"Our team specializes in introducing standout U.S. restaurant concepts to the Canadian market, and Playa Bowls fits that profile perfectly with their proven unit economics and a passionate following," Heos said in the release.
Founded in 2014 by Robert Giuliani and Abby Taylor, Playa Bowls has maintained a steady pace of expansion in 2025, celebrating its 300th location earlier this year. The company is on track to open more than 90 shops by the end of the year.
The Canadian deal is a key component of the company's strategy to bring its tropical concept to more guests globally as it continues to grow into new U.S. markets including New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, Maine, Arizona and California.
