Saladworks Celebrates 25 Years

By: Saladworks | 0 Shares 99 Reads

Nationwide Franchise Continues to Bring Healthy Options to Customers on the Go

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It started as a simple idea: provide fresh, healthy, made-to-order, entrée-sized salads as an alternative food offering for customers on the go.

Saladworks Chairman and CEO John Scardapane developed the concept while working as a chef at a southern New Jersey country club. He took the idea to the Cherry Hill Mall in New Jersey and was told "a salad-only store would never survive." The mall later agreed to the store, but with the provision he added sandwiches to the menu. After one month, the salads were selling so well, the sandwiches were dropped from the menu. A year later, Scardapane's shop was the highest-grossing tenant in the food court, ahead of national burger and pizza chains.

Today, that small store in a mall food court has evolved into Saladworks, the nation's largest fresh-salad concept.

"Our main goal was, and still is today, to provide a meal that is healthy, quickly accessible and delicious," said Scardapane. "I think we've achieved and exceeded this, offering sizable salads, sandwiches and wraps with ingredients that are chopped fresh daily."

In 2008, Scardapane took on a partner, Vernon Hill. Hill's experience taking Commerce Bankcorp from a single location to hundreds has proven beneficial to the Saladworks brand.

With around 100 locations in 12 states, Saladworks grossed $65 million in system-wide sales in 2010. Currently, the franchise has 89 stores in various stages of development. Keeping in line with its growth, the company has a projection of 500 stores by 2016.

"John created America's Best Salads," said Hill. "Now it's time to take that from good to great, making Saladworks the nation's greatest restaurant chain."

At the beginning of 2011, Saladworks was named the nation's number-one salad franchise by Entrepreneur, for the third year in a row. Scardapane was also named 2011 CEO of the Year by SmartCEO. Saladworks consistently makes the list of Philadelphia Business Journal's Best Places to Work; Inc.'s 500/5000; and QSR Magazine's 10 Best Franchise Deals.

To celebrate the 25th Anniversary, Saladworks launched three promotions through its Facebook page. Fans can take quizzes and answer riddles to be entered to win multiple prizes, including a $100 gift certificate. They can also download an exclusive playlist.

"Twenty-five years seems like a day when you have a passion for what you do," he said. "I can't imagine doing anything else, my exit strategy is death."

About Saladworks

Saladworks, the nation's first and largest fresh salad franchise concept operates around 100 franchise locations in 12 states. In addition to existing stores, the chain currently has more than 60 units in development across the country. Saladworks locations offer a "fanatic'ly fresh" menu of flavorful salads with signature dressings, proprietary soups, Fusion and panini sandwiches. With the addition of the True Nutrition menu, Saladworks' varieties of signature salads all average less than 300 calories. For more information on franchising or True Nutrition, please visit http://www.saladworks.com.

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