Açaí You There: BoostBerry to Open in Harvard Square

BoostBerry Açaí & Smoothies, a chain serving Brazilian açaí bowls, plans to open a location at 99 Mount Auburn St. complex next month — joining four other shops serving açaí that have opened in Harvard Square over the past six years.

The chain opened its first location in Swampscott, Massachusetts, in August 2024 and plans to open two more outposts this summer, including one in Boston’s Seaport District. The Cambridge location, which will replace Plan B Salon, is one of several new businesses coming to the Square this August — including Lebanese bakery About Thyme and Kong Mountain Tea.

Co-owned by Bárbara and Wallef Brussolo, BoostBerry is a family effort to bring “real, authentic açaí” to a New England audience. The couple — who previously worked for a bread bakery company in Brazil — moved to the Boston area four years ago and noticed that, despite the popularity of açaí vendors, many products sold in the United States differed from the açaí they knew in Brazil.

“You see the back part of the product, you can see a lot of items inside of the container,” Wallef Brussolo said of store-bought açaí. “People just think in the margin, add a lot of things inside of the container for a high margin.”

BoostBerry’s base, Brussolo said, is made with açaí imported directly from Brazil and only two additional ingredients: cane sugar and a preservative.

He described BoostBerry’s product as a “healthy fast food,” adding that the decision to serve açaí in a cup —rather than a bowl — was made with customer convenience in mind.

Brussolo said a cup of açaí can serve as an alternative to a morning coffee.

“Açaí provides a nice energy and nice things for your day,” he said.

BoostBerry offers customizable cups of açaí in three sizes, allowing customers to choose from a selection of free toppings, including fruit, powdered whole milk, and paçoca — a Brazilian peanut confection.

Signature cups offered on BoostBerry’s menu are named after major Brazilian cities, including Rio and São Paulo. The chain also offers several Brazilian snacks, including coxinha, a traditional chicken croquette.

In addition to its menu, Brussolo said BoostBerry hopes to offer “a nice, comfortable place” where students can stop between classes or study. The Cambridge location is slated to be open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., according to Brussolo.

Brussolo said it is important to “think about the students,” adding that he and his wife are working to build relationships with Harvard organizations.

Though Harvard Square businesses can see increased turnover during the summer, Jessica L. Sculley, president of the Harvard Square Business Association’s board of directors, said the Square is “still a really vibrant place for business.”

“I’m really excited that they’re coming. I think it’s going to be great, certainly in this environment that’s quite student heavy,” Sculley said. “If they have a market, then quick service in the Square has been quite successful.”

Brussolo also hopes to expand throughout the Greater Boston area — especially near other local universities — and eventually offering BoostBerry’s açaí at stadiums and concert venues.

“It’s very, very important because we don’t see açaí like a dessert,” Brussolo said. “For us, it’s a food.”

—Crimson summer intern Lena M. Aloise contributed reporting.

—Staff writer Uy B. Pham can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at ubp.88. Follow him on X @uybpham.