Our Story

Idealized in Costa Rica.

The beginnings of Melonhead’s inception all started on the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica. Founder Nick Frangipane lives an active lifestyle – regularly practicing jiu-jitsu, surfing, and exercising whenever possible. After traveling around the world, Nick fell in love with the natural high felt from eating fresh fruits and vegetables picked straight from the lands of Costa Rica.

Researched in Brazil.

The inception had begun but Nick still didn’t know exactly what he wanted to bring back home. Was it simply the ‘Pura Vida’ vibe of Costa Rica or the newfound love of surfing? After some more travels around the world, he realized what he loved most about the places he visited: healthy, fresh cuisine and acai in particular.

Tested in Puerto Rico.

Nick now had his product idea and knew he wanted to bring it back home, but there was still a bit of anxiety in understanding if this was really what people wanted. So Nick traveled to a few more tropical locations where he found and researched acai shops. From Hawaii to Puerto Rico, Nick took tips from the best parts of each shop he visited and developed his own unique style.

Made in the U.S.A.

After the journey in search of the perfect foods, Nick took time to see some ways his fellow countrymen had fared in opening similar locations. He found the vibe was spreading from San Diego all the way to Montauk. Nick finally felt that his idea, research, and planning had all been validated. It was time – Melonhead became a reality.

Expanding the Team.

After seeing years of Melonhead’s proven success, founder Nick Frangipane decided it was time to expand the brand. As a first step, he reached out to fellow entrepreneur and builder, Jim Whelan, who had shown interest in joining the company years prior. The two entrepreneurs teamed up, bringing together their ideas, individual skill sets, and passions for healthy living to help fuel the Melonhead expansion. This collaboration ultimately lead to the development of a long-term franchise strategy for the brand.