We Love Açaí, and This Is Where to Get It in Iowa

If you’ve ever nostalgically chased after a jingly ice cream truck, what ‘til you see Big Bessie, the powder pink Bloom açaí truck. It’s the brainchild of a rural Iowa native on a mission to bring whole foods to small-town Iowa (and beyond) via a blushing, revamped Wonder bread delivery truck. The main ingredient? It's açaí, a tropical superfruit in the form of a purple frozen treat.

Big Bessie, the Bloom food truck, makes its regular rounds during the warmer months, from May through October, serving up beautiful, colorful, whole foods that are free of sugar, dairy, dyes, fillers, and preservatives. Yes, it looks a lot like ice cream, only better tasting and better for you,

The star of the menu is the Bloom Bowl, a signature açaí bowl blended fresh to order every single time. You simply pick your size (9, 12, or 16-ounce) and then your toppings, which include vibrant fresh fruits, crunchy superfood toppings, and a sweet drizzle. My go-to Bloom Bowl is the 9-ounce with cacao nibs and chocolate chips. But since we’re now flirting with a new season, I had to try the Fall Bowl: açaí topped with local apples, bananas, peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon. It's a real winner for bridging the gap between summer and fall.

Speaking of local, Bloom prides itself on sustainability, responsibly sourcing local ingredients whenever possible. They even raise their own honey, and the owner, Joslyn, can list off every single farm where her berries, apples, pears, and peaches come from. But what about the açaí, you ask? 

Açaí certainly doesn’t grow in Iowa, nor anywhere in the U.S., for that matter. Açaí is a palm fruit native to the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, and Joslyn tells me that it's also available in Hawaii. Yet in a true testament to local love, she sources her açaí from a small, family farm in northern Brazil. 

Açaí is often referred to as a berry thanks to its close resemblance to grapes or blueberries, but it’s actually a fruit that grows on palm trees. Prized for its powerful antioxidants and nutrients, it’s frequently touted as a superfood. Due to its natural tartness, açaí is often blended with sweeter fruits and served as a frozen treat, usually referred to as açaí bowls.

I personally fell in love with açaí during my travels in Brazil but never expected to find it in Iowa—especially not at a small town farmer’s market in rural Iowa. My husband spotted it first, and I was in total disbelief that this viral food trend from Brazil had landed in rural Iowa. From the first bite, I knew this was a woman-owned, Iowa business I wanted to keep my eye on. It turns out we may have been among her first customers when Big Bessie the Bloom truck rolled through my own hometown back in 2022.

Just a few years later, Bloom is road tripping all over eastern Iowa, making regular appearances at the Cedar Rapids Farmer’s Market, Science Thursdays at the University of Iowa, and The Good Makers Market in Tipton. You can also routinely find Big Bessie, the powder-pink açaí truck, at small-town markets and events in Williamsburg, Marengo, Montezuma, Brooklyn, and Grinnell. Joslyn also has one brick-and-mortar Bloom location at the Williamsburg Community Recreation Center, serving fresh açaí bowls year-round.

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