Young Ones to Watch: Desi Saran, Founder and CEO of Sweetberry Bowls

It’s safe to say that Desi Saran is fueled by his love for entrepreneurship. In his young life, Saran, 33, has already founded and sold multiple businesses including Playa Bowls, an acai shop, as well as Brandswiggin, a full-service web development agency. Then, in October 2017, Saran founded Sweetberry Bowls, a fast-casual acai bowl concept. 

“I knew I wanted to build another brand, something that focused on healthy foods as that’s really big in the industry right now,” the serial entrepreneur said. 

Now, only a few years later, Saran has grown the business to 20 locations across seven states. In an interview with 1851 Franchise, Saran discusses his entrepreneurial background and how his passion for business led him to founding and franchising Sweetberry Bowls.

1851: What initially drew you to franchising?

Saran: I actually had franchised my previous concept and knew before I even started Sweetberry that I wanted to scale it nationally. I wanted to be able to share my mission to bring healthy food to local communities, so franchising was really the only way to go. Right now, we have 19 stores and are about to open our 20th, bringing us to seven states. Additionally, franchising allows for a completely third-party person to get into a business concept that they know works. It’s a great opportunity to get other people involved in your business. 

1851: Where do you see the most opportunity in franchising and why are you excited about the future of the industry?

Saran: I see a lot of opportunities in healthy fast casuals. The demand for healthy foods is heavily increasing. We are seeing a lot of consumers who aren’t necessarily switching their diets to vegan or vegetarian, but still want to eat that way and crave foods that are good for them. Consumers are becoming more open-minded about eating plant-based, vegan or vegetarian foods several times a week. We’re also seeing this trend with companies like Impossible and Beyond Meat. The category that Sweetberry is in is great because the consumer nowadays is really different. Millennials, for example, are very thoughtful of what they eat and increasingly consider the nutritional value of their foods. 

1851: What advice do you have for other young up-and-comers in the space?

Saran: I would say, if you have an idea, don’t be afraid to test it out. Get it out there. You don’t have to go all-in right away; there’s other things you could try first to mitigate your risk. For example, a pop-up shop, catering, or hosting an event that won’t lock you into a lease or a long-term commitment. This will allow you to see if you have something good. If people are buying your product and responding well to it, then you can go for it head-on. So, for anyone who is thinking about becoming an entrepreneur or getting in this type of industry, I would say execute the idea, test it and go for it. 

1851: What advice would you give your younger self?

Saran: The advice I would give to myself is to slow down and not grow so quickly. In our first year, we opened 12 stores, and this year we will open eight stores, so it’s been a crazy, crazy two years of nonstop growth and raising capital. So, I would tell myself to grow more organically and at a more sustained pace. That being said, we were able to handle all the growth, but it was a lot of work, time commitment and stress. Part of this whole thing is being able to enjoy the journey and the ride. When you’re growing that quickly, it gets hard to enjoy the process. 

1851: Who is someone you look to for inspiration? 

Saran: Throughout my time as an entrepreneur, I’ve had some really good local mentors. But, one person that really stands out is Paul Altero. He is with Bubbakoo’s Burritos, a New Jersey brand that’s been around for about 10 or 11 years. Over the past year, they’ve really started hitting their stride and selling a lot of franchise territories. Years ago, when I started getting into the industry, Paul was the guy that took me under his wing. He has over two decades of experience in the franchising world and he’s more than willing to share advice and teach me the fundamentals of owning and franchising a business. When things get hard or I have questions, he’s always right there to help me.