June 10, 2025 // Franchising.com // BELMAR, N.J. – Playa Bowls has announced a new partnership with 4ocean, officially joining the clean ocean movement as both a Certified Cleanup Partner and a Pull A Pound Partner. Through this impactful two-year collaboration, Playa Bowls has committed to removing 100,000 total pounds of plastic and trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines around the world. This annual pledge will directly support 4ocean’s mission and help empower their dedicated crews, who work year-round to remove harmful plastic and protect marine ecosystems on a global scale.
“At Playa Bowls, our story started with a love for the ocean and a passion for surf culture, so partnering with 4ocean feels like a natural extension of who we are,” said Abby Taylor, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Playa Bowls. “I was incredibly inspired by the way Alex and his co-founder turned their heartbreak over ocean pollution into a global movement. Just like them, we started our journey after surf trips around the world, where we discovered fresh, nutritious acai bowls that gave us the fuel we needed after spending hours in the water. We knew we wanted to bring that experience home to the Jersey Shore. This partnership brings our story full circle, and we’re honored to support 4ocean’s mission to make our ocean cleaner, healthier, and more vibrant for generations to come.”
As a Certified Cleanup Partner, Playa Bowls will fund the removal of 10,000 pounds of ocean plastic and trash each year. Through the Pull A Pound program, the brand will go even further, supporting the extraction of an additional 40,000 pounds annually. These efforts are carried out by 4ocean’s full-time captains and crews around the globe. To experience the impact firsthand, Abby and the Playa Bowls leadership team plan to join a 4ocean strike mission in Florida—a coordinated cleanup where they’ll work side-by-side with the crew to help clear the coastline.
“Cleaning the ocean takes both passionate people and purpose-driven brands coming together,” said 4ocean co-founder and CEO, Alex Schulze. “Abby and I have a lot in common. We’re both surfers who turned our love for the ocean into something bigger. That’s why I am stoked about this partnership. Playa Bowls has always felt like a brand that genuinely cares about the ocean, and now they’re helping us make a real, measurable impact.”
Playa Bowls’ commitment comes at a critical time for ocean health. The world produces over 40 million metric tons of plastic waste each year, much of it from single-use packaging, and nearly 80% of all plastic ever made has ended up in the environment. With global plastic production expected to triple by 2050, the need for collective action has never been greater. Through its partnership with 4ocean, Playa Bowls is helping reverse the tide and drive meaningful change.
Founded by surfers Abby Taylor & Rob Giuliani, Playa Bowls was born out of the desire to recreate deliciously healthy versions of the acai and pitaya bowls the pair encountered on various surf trips spanning from Costa Rica to Hawaii. The duo discovered new and unique twists on this popular post-surf treat at each beach and came home wanting more. Abby and Rob set up a blender and a small cart across from the boardwalk in Belmar, New Jersey, and Playa Bowls was born. After 11 years, thousands of team members, and hundreds of thousands of bowls later, Playa Bowls continues to offer superfruit-packed menu items with a mission to lead communities in healthy, sustainable living.
4ocean is a premier ocean cleanup company dedicated to ending the ocean plastic crisis. Since 2017, its professional, full-time captains and crews have removed more than 40 million pounds of plastic waste and other man-made debris from the world’s ocean, rivers, and coastlines.
SOURCE Playa Bowls
Playa Bowls is a superfruit bowl shop serving up an extensive and unique menu of over 40 items.