Dan Eedy is bringing tropical tastes to Cardiff. With a passion for healthy eating, he has transformed his dream of owning a food business into reality
Young business owner, Dan Eedy, 26 has a passion for promoting healthy eating, aiming to revolutionise Cardiff’s food scene, one açai bowl at a time. His business, Kiwis Bowls, opened in Castle Arcade a couple of months ago.
Açai is a berry native to South America, similar in appearance to a blueberry. It is blended and frozen to use in açai bowls which are high in iron and anti-oxidants.
“I’ve always been interested in business”, Eedy says. “I used to watch shows like The Apprentice and was inspired by people who created their own businesses.” Eedy’s interest from a young age, coupled with a love for healthy food started the foundation for what would become Kiwis Bowls.
I think there’s a really good opportunity for unique brands to sell exciting food that’s nutritious
Eedy’s açai business is the committed to using good-quality and sustainable suppliers. Eedy sources his ingredients carefully, prioritising locally sourced fruit for the bowls.
“We’re really particular about the ingredients we use”, he explains, “We source our açai from Brazil and our granola is gluten-free.”
From passion to business
Eedy’s journey began as a student at Swansea University, where he discovered his love for açai bowls. Inspired by the vibrant and refreshing taste of this superfood, he decided to start by selling açai bowls out of a horsebox and at local festivals.
“I realised there was a gap in the market in Cardiff city centre,” Eedy explains, “There’s nowhere else that does the acai that we do.”
“I feel like people should have options for more exciting food and nutritious food, especially in Wales”, he says, “When I’ve been to London, there’s so much choice. But when I come back to Wales, there’s not.”
How to pronounce açai: “ah-sigh-ee”
Building his brand
After graduating, Eedy moved to Cardiff and opened his first physical store. The shop owner explains how the trendy decor and Instagram-worthy bowls have started to attract a lot of customers from social media.
“Our products, they’re very ‘Instagrammable’. I’ve never seen a product that you put down and it takes about 0.1 seconds for someone to take a photo”, Eedy explains.
“I wish I could say I’m from New Zealand, but it’s called Kiwis Bowls because there’s been some studies that memorable businesses start with the letter K!”, he explains, “And then kiwi’s are one of the best fruits, it’s a superfood.”
Although, Eedy’s journey opening a business has not been without its challenges. “Opening a physical store comes with its own challenges”, he admits. “Picking the right spot is essential for a business, especially one that’s selling food, you want to be where there’s footfall.”
A fruitful future
As Kiwis Bowls continues into its third month of opening, Eedy explains he has ambitious plans for the future. He envisions expanding the brand to multiple locations and introducing new products.
“I would really love Kiwis Bowls to be a recognisable brand across the UK. I think there’s a really good opportunity for unique brands to sell exciting food that’s nutritious and appeals to a certain target market.”
Eedy’s journey from selling out of a horsebox to owning a physical store in Cardiff’s bustling arcades should be an inspiration to others. He explains that if you have a vision for a business the best thing to do is “just start!”
Click below to hear Dan talking about the average day in his life as the owner of Kiwis Bowls.