How Project Acai Boosted Sales by 230% with Uber Eats Marketing Tools

In just one year, Project Acai grew its sales by 230%, doubled orders, and tripled menu views on Uber Eats — proof that smart marketing can turn a small local restaurant into a success story. 

Founder Norris Solaka grew up surrounded by his family’s pastry-making tradition, but a trip abroad changed everything. After discovering a now-famous cheesecake and seeing crowds line up for a taste, he returned to Melbourne inspired — determined to reimagine that indulgent experience with a healthier twist. The result: an açaí shop that blends his dessert-making heritage with the city’s love of indulgent desserts.

Within two weeks of opening, he joined Uber Eats to reach customers where they already were: online. Over the past year, Project Acai has leaned into Uber Eats Ads, Promotions, and the Ding Dong Deals campaign to boost visibility and sustain growth — with demand so strong they’ve added extra staff just to handle Uber Eats orders.

“I wanted a shop where you can come in and be healthy — or come on your cheat day. Something for everyone.”

Opening just before winter, Norris Solaka knew Project Acai would need to stand out and keep sales steady while foot traffic was low. Within two weeks he joined Uber Eats, uploaded the menu himself (“super easy”), and invested in packaging that kept açaí bowls cold and cheesecakes intact. Even with a great product and presentation, visibility was the hurdle. 

“People won’t just take your word that your product is better — they need to try it.”

Noticing that nearby competitors weren’t advertising, Norris saw an opportunity. He set up and Ad Campaign on Uber Eats Manager with a $50 daily budget to stay visible, and refreshed his menu with bright, high-quality photos — because, as he says, “people eat with their eyes.” 

Visibility only got him so far. To turn those eyeballs  into sales, he added Promotions. Norris used the different types of Promotions available in Uber Eats Manager to drive specific results. He used  “Category Discounts” to attract new customers, “Save on Menu Items” to lift demand, and “Buy One, Get One Free” to encourage new menu item adoption. 

“I’m a big believer in letting people taste your products — even if it means taking a little loss now. You gain it back later.” 

The approach paid off. Project Acai saw a surge of first-time orders, stronger retention, and enough Uber Eats demand to hire extra staff.

When Uber invited Project acai to join the Ding Dong Deals campaign, Norris didn’t hesitate for long.

“I was a bit skeptical at first—I didn’t know how it worked. But once I understood Uber would handle the setup and marketing, I said, let’s give it a go. I ran it the whole time.”

Running through June to August, the partnership gave Project acai exposure it couldn’t have achieved alone. Cheesecakes discounted from $24 to $9.50 drove a huge spike in orders and new customers.

“That Ding Dong Deal went crazy—it went nuts. Some nights I needed an extra staff member just for Uber because when that thing started dinging, it wouldn’t stop.”

During the campaign, weekly cheesecake production jumped from 30 to 70 cakes, and many first-time customers became regulars.

“It was great exposure—people were constantly seeing and talking about us. For a small business like mine, partnering with Uber on something that big gave us visibility we couldn’t have bought ourselves.”

A massive impact in a short amount of time. 

During this campaign, sales of their cheesecake went up an incredible 802%, with more than 50% of orders coming from new customers.* These results led to their biggest month of sales ever on Uber Eats, with orders increasing by 83%* over the prior month.

“Would I do Ding Dong Deals again? Definitely. I’d switch up the item next time, but I’d do it again for sure—just staff up for the rush.”

The results speak for themselves. Project Acai has seen a 233% increase in sales over the last 12 months. Those who view their store has increased by 301% and those who place an order has increased by 257%. Norris attributes this to the combination of using both Promotions and Ads: 

“I think they pay for themselves. When you’re not up there [in the app], you miss out. Personally, when I’m choosing something on Uber, it’s the first five or six things I see.” 

Beyond the numbers, the impact is lasting. More customers are discovering Project Acai through Promotions and Uber-led campaigns, driving steady growth month after month.

“Everyone loves a bargain — with the cost of living going up, whatever they can get cheaper or for free, it’s a no-brainer.”

For Norris, the takeaway is simple: stay visible, offer value, and let customers experience your product. The right mix of Ads and Promotions doesn’t just create short-term spikes — it builds sustained growth.

Try Uber Eats Promotions and Campaigns today — and turn visibility into real results.

*Data in this article reflects the merchant’s experience and statements from interviews. Individual results may vary.