NEWBERG, Ore. — A Newberg couple is bringing açaí bowls to the Chehalem Valley, opening a food cart business they say grew from years of dreaming, a shared set of complementary skills, and a profound personal loss.
Jordyn and Micah Ritschard launched Gooseberry Açaí in June. Jordyn, a graphic designer and freelance videographer who attended George Fox University and has lived in Newberg since 2015, said she had wanted to open an açaí business since arriving in Oregon and finding few nearby options.
“I’ve made myself an açaí smoothie almost every day for the past 10 years, so this has been a long-time dream,” she said.
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Açaí, pronounced ah-sigh-ee, is the fruiting berry of the Açaí palm tree native to Central and South America. According to the National Kidney Foundation, the berries’ flavor is somewhere between a raspberry and blackberry, and contains antioxidants, fiber, and heart-healthy fat.
Gooseberry keeps it simple with their offerings. Each bowl includes Brazilian Açaí Sorbet, fresh Bananas, Blueberries, and Strawberries alongside gluten-free Granola drizzled with honey or customers can swap honey with Nutella, peanut butter, or lilikoi, a passion fruit butter sourced from Hawaii.
Micah, a mechanical engineer, said the couple found that their skills complemented each other in building the business. Both are running Gooseberry alongside their existing careers, with the hope that it will eventually become their primary focus.
The launch came during a difficult season for the family. Jordyn’s father, Dwayne, died unexpectedly last October. She described him as an entrepreneur — he invented ceiling storage systems for garages — whose example gave her the confidence to pursue her own ideas. The business carries traces of his memory: the cart’s largest bowl size is named the Papa Goose in his honor, and a display of Psalm 118:24, his favorite verse, is part of the cart’s aesthetic.
“Losing him was heartbreaking, but it also reminded us that life is short,” Jordyn said. “We didn’t want to keep waiting for the ‘perfect’ time to start.”
The cart’s name carries its own meaning: Jordyn’s family has long called their group chat “The Gooses,” a running joke that stuck. The name Gooseberry, she said, felt like a way to carry a piece of that with her.
Gooseberry is currently operating as a pop-up, with a regular presence at The Hills Dundee Farmers Market and occasional appearances at Berg Bites, a Newberg food cart pod. The Ritschards said they will also be at the Old Fashioned Festival in July and are open to private events, including weddings, fitness events, and winery appearances. Information on bookings is available at gooseberryacai.com.
