India, Aug. 22 -- Once tucked away as a wellness add-on on larger cafe menus, acai is now getting dedicated real estate of its own. Over the past few months, standalone acai bars, cloud kitchens and delivery-first brands have opened across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune, signalling that the deep-purple Brazilian berry is moving from niche superfood to a category in itself in India. The berry is typically blended into a thick frozen pulp and topped with fruit, granola, nut butters and seeds. Food entrepreneurs in Indian metro cities are now positing them as smoothie-based breakfasts, post-workout meals, or grab-and-go foods. The format is also finding traction beyond dine-in cafes, with delivery-first brands making the bowls easier to sample. "We felt India was ready for that shift too," says Manav Suri, founder of Delhi-based Lyfberry, which opened in February this year. For Bengaluru-based Acai Theory, the opportunity was equally clear: a product that was commonplace abroad, but "virtually absent in India"....