A Brazilian açaí chain that started with home deliveries and gym freezers is putting down roots in Sugar Land. Acai Brasil plans to open a location within the Riverstone Shopping Center at 18721 University Blvd. Ste. 130, occupying a 1,424-square-foot space near the intersection of University Boulevard and LJ Parkway.
The buildout is currently underway, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation permit tied to the address, as reported by WhatNow. That permit lists an estimated construction cost of $90,000 for the remodel of the existing tenant space into a smoothie shop, with a single restroom planned. Per Community Impact, the work window runs from mid-August through October 31, 2026, putting the new shop on track for a fall opening.
The suite previously housed Sugar Land Pharmacy & Wellness before the conversion to a smoothie and açaí concept, the WhatNow report notes. Ana Alvares is listed on the permit, though the outlet's request for comment had not received a response by the time of publication. The shop's parent brand did not respond to WhatNow's request for more information either.
From Jiujitsu Gym Freezers to a Growing Franchise
Acai Brasil's roots trace back to 2016, when founder Verena Miranda, who had moved to the United States at age 17, began making home deliveries across Houston and stocking freezers inside local Brazilian jiujitsu gyms, according to CanvasRebel Magazine. She and Misrael Miranda launched the business after Verena Miranda noticed a lack of authentic Brazilian-style açaí in the local market, per WhatNow's reporting. That same year, the pair leased a permitted commercial kitchen space, moving the operation off gym floors and into a proper production facility.
The company describes itself on its website as locally owned by a Brazilian couple passionate about açaí, and says it spent five years researching ingredients and developing recipes tailored to American consumers. Acai Brasil now counts 19 locations, including 17 franchise sites, and has built a structured franchise model around traditional açaí bowls, smoothies, detox juices, and Brazilian finger foods. The brand's storefronts stretch across Texas, from Houston's Galleria area and Heights neighborhoods to Cypress, Katy, Fulshear, Spring, Atascocita, Humble, Kingwood, the Conroe/Woodlands area, and Dallas, plus one location in Tucson, Arizona.
A Fast-Growing Corridor Near a Booming Master-Planned Community
The Riverstone Shopping Center sits within the broader retail hub surrounding the Village at Riverstone, itself part of the sprawling Riverstone master-planned community. That development spans 3,800 acres across Sugar Land and Missouri City and is home to roughly 6,400 households and 18,000 residents, according to Johnson Development. Sugar Land itself carries a median household income of $136,217 and a foreign-born population of 35.6%, per 2024 Census figures compiled by Data USA, a demographic profile that has made the area attractive to specialty food concepts.
University Boulevard has seen steady retail momentum in recent months. Houston-based halal grocer Prime Bazaar secured a 5,831-square-foot space nearby at 18738 University Blvd., Hoodline previously reported. And the appetite for fast-casual, health-focused concepts isn't limited to Riverstone: regional chain JuiceLand opened its ninth Greater Houston location at Sugar Land Town Square in December 2025.
Riding a National Açaí Boom
Acai Brasil's Sugar Land expansion also lands amid broader industry growth. The U.S. açaí bowl market generated between $846 million and $986.9 million in annual revenue in 2023 and 2024, following five straight years of double-digit growth, according to data cited by Tropical Acai. The Sugar Land renovation was filed alongside eight other major commercial projects registered in the city in mid-2026, including build-outs for Pepper Lunch, H-E-B, Crunch Fitness, and Club Studio, per Community Impact's review of city filings.
Acai Brasil's website states that customers keep coming back once they try what it calls authentic açaí, crediting pure açaí, hard work, and love as its secret ingredients. Whether the Riverstone location will offer the brand's full menu of finger foods alongside its bowls and smoothies remains to be seen, but if the current construction timeline holds, Sugar Land shoppers should have a chance to find out this fall.
