Since launching its first location in Gilbert, Arizona, the brand has already had over 75 shops open across Arizona and Texas.
Given this impressive early growth, many entrepreneurs are wondering, does Salad and Go offer franchise opportunities?
The answer is yes. After success with corporate-owned stores, Salad and Go’s founders decided to sell franchises as a strategic move to accelerate national expansion.
Currently, the salad concept offers franchising in 5 states with plans to grow to 1000+ locations long-term.
An Overview of Salad and Go
Salad and Go was founded in 2013 in Gilbert, Arizona, by Brett and Lesley Gunnink. The couple wanted to provide a healthy fast food option that was affordable and convenient.
They opened their first location in a former Burger King building, redesigning the space to fit their concept.
The restaurant allows customers to fully customize their salads, wraps, and grain bowls. There are over 60 fresh ingredients to choose from, including lots of veggies, fruits, proteins, cheeses, nuts, seeds, and dressings.
This builds-your-own model gives customers complete control over the flavor and health profile of their meals.
Since the first shop opened in 2013, Salad and Go has expanded rapidly across Arizona and into Texas, with over 75 locations currently open.
Their growth shows no signs of slowing. The brand has cultivated a loyal customer base who loves the concept.
Does Salad and Go Offer Franchises?
Yes! The Salad and Go business model is built for franchising. After proving successful with company-owned shops, founders Brett and Lesley decided to offer franchise opportunities to help expand the brand more quickly.
Salad and Go currently offers franchises in Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Arkansas and will continue expanding to new regions across the US in the coming years.
Salad and Go executives estimate the total franchise opportunity in the US to be over 1000 units. This shows the immense room for growth and development of the ascending brand.
What Makes Salad and Go Attractive for Franchisees?
There are several advantages to owning a Salad and Go franchise location:
Low Overall Costs
Compared to other food franchises, Salad and Go has a relatively low overall cost to open. Startup expenses range from $386,500 – $587,500.
Ongoing expenses are approximately 7-10% of gross sales. This improves profit potential, especially during the first 3 years of opening.
Simple Operations
With limited cooking involved, Salad and Go locations are simple to operate, requiring fewer employees than most restaurants.
Typical staffing includes 6-8 team members for a 2500+ square foot space. Easy workflows make training simple as well.
Healthy Category
The growing emphasis on fresh, nutritious dining makes Salad and Go aligned with latest consumer preferences.
As the health and wellness food sector expands, Salad and Go is perfectly positioned for this megatrend.
Proven Profitability
Existing franchisees and company-owned stores report strong cashflows and store-level profitability. High-volume units see ROI in under 3 years.
These metrics make Salad and Go a lower-risk investment option compared to other franchises.
Franchisee Support
Salad and Go offers full training for all franchise owners and provides support for site selection, lease negotiation, licensing, general operations, and marketing.
The corporate team has immense experience launching successful locations.
What Are Startup Costs for a Salad and Go?
Salad and Go franchise startup costs currently range from $386,500 to $587,500. This includes:
- Franchise fee – $35,000
- Real estate/lease initial costs – $75,000 to $240,000
- Leasehold improvements & equipment costs – $165,000 to $219,500
- Signage – $5,000 to $10,000
- POS system – $10,000 to $15,000
- Initial inventory & supplies – $5,000 to $10,000
- Staff recruiting & training budget – $5,000
- Grand opening marketing budget – $10,000
- 3 months operating capital – $50,000 to $100,000
- Additional funds for licenses, permits, legal fees, etc.
As you can see, a large chunk of costs goes towards real estate and building out the physical restaurant space.
Like most franchises, total expenses depend largely on real estate markets and restaurant size.
What is the Salad and Go franchising fee?
Salad and Go charges a $35,000 initial franchising fee. This grants you the right to use their branding, systems, and concepts.
It’s pretty affordable compared to emerging restaurant chains charging over $50k.
How Much Space is Required for a Salad and Go?
Salad and Go aim for restaurant sizes between 1800 – 3000 square feet but can be flexible for solid locations.
This allows room for the order line, salad-making stations, a beverage station, plus seating.
Required specifications also include specific electricity loads, water supply, and compliance with ADA regulations.
Ideally, sites will have excellent visibility, ample parking, and busy foot traffic numbers. Non-traditional spaces like transportation hubs, airports, and universities are also options.
What Are Potential Profits or ROI?
As an emerging franchise brand, Salad and Go does not legally provide average unit volumes or financial performance representations.
However, they report that unit volumes for existing shops often reach $15,000 to $20,000 per week.
Top-performing Salad and Go franchise locations see gross annual sales from $600,000 to over $1 million.
Given these benchmarks and average food/labor costs of 24%, we can infer strong profit margins in the 15-20% range or $100,000+ annually.
This means franchise owners could potentially see full return on investment in under 3 years.
Quite impressive results compared to the restaurant industry average of 3 to 5 years for ROI. Of course, profitability depends significantly on local market performance. However, Salad and Go’s numbers showcase the concept’s earnings potential.
Do They Provide Ongoing Support?
Yes, Salad and Go offers extensive ongoing support to all franchise partners. Services include but aren’t limited to:
Site selection assistance – They help identify and evaluate potential territories and locations using analytics.
Lease negotiation help – You aren’t left alone to handle real estate negotiations. Their experts assist in getting favorable lease terms.
Construction and buildout management – Salad and Go guides you through restaurant construction with preferred vendors.
Initial staff recruiting & training – The corporate team trains your initial hiring wave before opening.
Inventory & supply chain access – Franchisees gain access to wholesale ingredients pricing through corporate supply channels.
Ongoing training updates – They hold annual conferences to continually train franchise teams as offerings evolve.
Field operations support – You get remote check-ins about store KPIs from corporate team members.
Local marketing guidance – They provide customized guidance for digital marketing community events that resonate in your area.
What Experience is Required to Own a Franchise?
Salad and Go prefers franchisee candidates to have prior experience in one or more of these backgrounds:
- Multi-unit business ownership & management experience in retail, hospitality, or food service. Familiar with P&L statements, business planning, inventory ordering, etc.
- Previous restaurant GM experience, including day-to-day restaurant workflows and recognizing customer insights.
- Business leadership experience with budgeting, managing teams, and achieving performance goals.
However, they also realize that competent candidates come from diverse backgrounds. So, a lack of direct industry experience isn’t necessarily disqualifying if you demonstrate strong business acumen.
At a minimum, candidates should have $500,000+ in liquid personal assets to invest in building out a location. Multi-unit ownership opportunities require $1 million+ in assets.
Is Salad and Go a Good Franchise Investment?
For entrepreneurs interested in the booming fast-casual and health food sectors, Salad and Go presents an exciting, early-stage franchise opportunity. The company exhibits all signs of continued expansion and success.
The initial franchise investments of $350k – $600k offer strong profit potential. Given average unit volumes, Salad and Go restaurants can produce $200k+ in earnings within 3 years. This showcases a better risk-return profile than many emerging chains.
For business owners who enjoy the restaurant world and want a scalable concept, Salad and Go provides the systems, supply networks, and branding power right from the beginning.
The bottom line is that if you have the assets and passion for the space, Salad and Go looks like an attractive franchise addition to consider.
Next Steps if You’re Interested
If reading this article excites you about the expanding Salad and Go concept, check out a few helpful next steps:
Fill out a Franchise Inquiry Form through their website. This kicks off the conversation with their franchise development team.
Review their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for specifics on contract terms, costs, regulations, and risks.
Schedule a call with their franchise outreach team to better understand unit performance metrics in your local
Conclusion
In summary, Salad and Go represents an intriguing franchise opportunity in the expanding fresh/fast casual dining industry.
Since its start in 2013, the company has quickly grown to over 75 locations between Arizona and Texas.
Salad and Go allows customers to fully customize salads, wraps, grain bowls, and more from high-quality ingredients.
Their unique business model results in simple operations with the potential for solid profit margins upwards of 20% for franchise owners.
Initial franchise investments range from $386,500 to $587,500, including all fees and startup costs.
The relatively low entry cost combined with corporate support offers emerged food brands offers a compelling risk/reward ratio.
For entrepreneurs who enjoy brand-building and desire to get behind a differentiated restaurant concept, Salad and Go warrants serious consideration. The company still has room for over 1000 locations nationwide.
If researching more about their franchising opportunity, be sure to fill out an online inquiry form, thoroughly review their FDD documentation, and schedule calls with corporate outreach reps.
There’s immense growth run-way ahead for Salad and Go franchise partners in the right territories.
