Is açaí gluten-free, vegan and kosher? A menu guide for campuses and cafés

Campus dining teams and cafés get the same questions at the counter every day: is it gluten-free, is it vegan, is it kosher, is it organic? This guide answers them for all ten Austropical flavors, with the certification behind each answer, so you can label your menu with confidence.

Is açaí sorbet gluten-free?

Ours is. All ten Austropical flavors are certified gluten-free by SCS, in pints, Grab'n Go cups and foodservice buckets. None of the ten ingredient statements lists wheat, barley, rye or oats.

Toppings are where gluten usually comes in. Many granolas are made with oats and grains that contain gluten or are processed alongside them, so check each topping before you call a finished bowl gluten-free.

Is it vegan and plant-based?

Yes. All ten flavors are certified vegan by Vegan Australia and certified plant-based by SCS. There is no dairy milk or cream in any of them: Organic Coconut uses organic coconut milk and coconut oil, and Cupuaçu & Coconut uses coconut milk powder, all from the coconut.

A bowl stays vegan only if its toppings are. Honey, condensed milk, yogurt and some chocolate sauces are not vegan.

Is it kosher?

Nine of the ten flavors are certified kosher by Kosher Australia, in all three formats. Açaí Strawberry Crush is the one that is not. If you serve a kosher-certified line, leave Strawberry Crush out of it.

Which flavors are organic and Non-GMO?

Three: Organic Açaí Original Sensation, Organic Mango and Organic Coconut. They are USDA Organic (Austropical Pty Ltd, NOP Operation ID 3950001101) and certified Non-GMO by ACO. The other seven flavors are not certified organic, so use “organic” on your menu only for these three.

Does it contain any major food allergens?

None of the major food allergens is listed in the ingredients of any of the ten flavors. For cross-contact information about the plant, ask us. As with gluten, the toppings you add are your allergen responsibility: nuts, nut butters, seeds and some sauces are common in açaí bowls.

Is there a no-sugar-added option?

Açaí Zero Sugar is 60% organic açaí sweetened with maltitol, polydextrose, erythritol and steviol glycoside. It is certified vegan, plant-based, gluten-free and kosher. It is not a low calorie food, and excessive consumption may cause a laxative effect, so keep that statement with it on your menu. Açaí Zero Sugar: Not a low calorie food.

Every flavor at a glance

• All ten flavors: certified vegan (Vegan Australia), plant-based (SCS) and gluten-free (SCS); fruit is the first ingredient; no major food allergens in the ingredients.
• Organic Açaí Original Sensation, Organic Mango, Organic Coconut: also USDA Organic and Non-GMO (ACO), and kosher.
• Açaí Banana Sunrise, Açaí Zero Sugar, Passionfruit, Dragon Fruit & Pineapple, Pink Guava & Acerola, Cupuaçu & Coconut: also kosher.
• Açaí Strawberry Crush: vegan, plant-based and gluten-free; not kosher.

The sorbet is made in the Brazilian Amazon, in a facility certified to FSSC 22000, ISO 9001 and HACCP. The full ingredient statement and Nutrition Facts for each flavor are on its flavor page and sell sheet, and what is certified lists every certification on one page.

How do you label it on your menu?

Label the flavor, not the bowl, until you have checked every topping. A short line such as “açaí base: certified vegan and gluten-free” tells guests what the base is without promising more than you know about the toppings. Name the certifying body if your dining program asks for it, and keep the Zero Sugar statement next to that flavor wherever it appears.

Planning a counter? Read building an açaí bowl program for a campus or café and how to choose an açaí supplier. For certificates, samples and pricing, use the request form.