CASPER, Wyo. – When Courtney Nye launched Wyo Bowls in Saratoga in 2023, she didn’t expect such a warm welcome. Customers often asked her, “When are you coming back?” That interest is what drove her to expand.
Courtney, who spent a decade as an accountant, had a strong background for business. She knew what worked and what didn’t. The idea for her acai bowl food truck came from a trip to California, where she first tasted the colorful, trendy bowls. “I had no idea what they were at first,” she recalled. After some encouragement from a friend, the seed was planted.
Finding the right trailer was tough, but Courtney turned the wait into an opportunity. She experimented with recipes at home, honing her bowl creations. Eventually, she found her trailer in Cheyenne, and the real adventure began.
At first, her goal was modest: pay the bills without losing money. “Somehow it’s blown up way bigger than that,” she said. Her bowls are flavorful and healthy, and they caught people’s attention because they aren’t what you typically find at food trucks. Many customers would walk by looking for tacos or burgers but return after seeing others enjoying a Wyo Bowl. “Then they say, ‘this is amazing!’”
The demand quickly outpaced her ability to manage one trailer. In 2023, she purchased a box truck to keep up. This truck made its debut at Casper’s Funky Junk festival, where lines seemed endless.
Business isn’t just booming for Courtney. Melissa Harmon, a former first-grade teacher, joined the team as Courtney’s first full-time hire. “I lived in Rawlins and always visited the truck,” Melissa explained. She wanted to be closer to family in Casper and saw an opening.
Melissa started running the Casper location, focusing on weekends. Wyoming winters can be tough for food trucks, so they plan to winterize the original trailer in Saratoga when the snow arrives.
The first weekend without Courtney went smoothly, and Melissa was pleasantly surprised by the customer turnout. “We’ll figure things out this fall and aim for a busy spring and summer,” she said.
Courtney never envisioned such rapid growth. “I’m still wrapping my head around it,” she admitted. Her husband even suggested a third truck, but she’s focused on mastering the two they have.
The popularity of Wyo Bowls is a clear sign: people are hungry for something different and healthier. With a unique offering in a familiar format, Wyo Bowls is taking the food truck scene in Wyoming to the next level.
