Fresh, Full, Clean and Nourishing: Refuel at The Salad Station for a Unique Build-Your-Own Experience Unlike Any Other

Not many brands can trace their origins to a strawberry farm in the 1940s in Louisiana, but then not every brand is like The Salad Station. 

The brand’s roots go back to 1943, when Joe Liuzza started what is known today as Louisiana’s largest strawberry farm, the Liuzza Produce Farm. Liuzza’s daughter, Cindy Henderson, built on her farming heritage by founding two local farmer’s markets lovingly named Berry Town and sourced by Liuzza Produce. An entrepreneurial spirit runs in the Henderson family: Shortly after graduating from high school, Cindy’s son Scott started his own wholesale produce delivery business in Hammond before ultimately assuming ownership of one of his biggest accounts in the area. Scott renamed the location to Buddies Bar & Grill and was hard at work on growing the business when his steak supplier—who also supplied steaks to a competitor—told him that he’d been asked to no longer deliver to Buddies. Determined to make it even after being stonewalled, Henderson didn’t give up, and today, Buddies is renowned as the best steakhouse in town. 

It was because of Scott and Cindy’s respective experience with foodservice supply and sales that they knew they could partner successfully on build-your-own, “full, fresh, clean” concept that became The Salad Station. The Salad Station officially started in 2012 in Hammond Louisiana and immediately offered residents wholesome pay-by-the-pound salads, friendly customer service, blue ribbon-worthy value—and even an occasional Berry Town vinaigrette.

“My mom and I both had that passion and heritage for farming, and my mom and I both had successful daytime jobs, but we also wanted to create something new,” Henderson said. “The farming business and restaurant industry are both labor-intensive with long hours. My mom and I partnered as a hobby first, to do something together. We wanted to take the best practices from each of our professional experiences and create our dream job: A self-serve salad concept with an overwhelmingly full, fresh and clean selection of products.”

The Salad Station proved to be a big hit—”By day three or four after opening, the door wouldn’t shut because the line was out the door,” Henderson said— and Henderson and his mom quickly realized they could scale the business. 

“After opening our first two stores, with lines out the door and averaging about 500 people in our stores daily, we realized that this was something special and thought, ‘What if we offered this dream job as a possibility for others to pursue?’” Henderson said. “That’s when we knew we wanted to give others the opportunity to enter this business. We were confident that we had a proven concept and we went hard to work.”

The Salad Station put together a franchise disclosure document (FDD) in 2014 and sold the first franchised unit in 2015. Today, the brand has 20 locations across the southern United States, primarily in its native Louisiana, with five to 10 more slated to open by the end of 2019 and target markets including Huntsville and Montgomery, Alabama; Orlando, Pensacola and the Panhandle region of Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Oxford, Mississippi; Nashville, Tennessee; Houston, Texas; and the Carolinas. 

“We’re running, gunning and working as hard as we can to build this brand and bring the concept to as many communities as we can,” Henderson said.

Customers who walk into a Salad Station restaurant will notice the brand’s fresh and airy layout. Metal chairs and white tabletops lend to a crisp and clean look, while a calming light green color scheme runs throughout the space. Restaurant walls display photos that reflect the brand’s farming origins.

“We wanted to make sure what we served matched our environment, so when you walk into any of our locations, you’re experiencing a clean meal in a clean and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere,” Henderson said. 

Brand enthusiasts can create their salads from a grand total of over 100 ingredients. Produce is cut fresh on-site and the salad bar is constantly being refreshed and refilled. 

“We have triple the number of ingredients than other build-your-own salad concepts,” Henderson said. 

In addition to salads, the brand offers soups and a hot bar, which contains popular menu items such as baked potatoes, chili and BBQ pork roast. Rounding out the menu are drinks such as iced tea, strawberry lemonade and fruit-infused alkaline water. 

Customers also pay by the pound. This was a crucial step for the farm-rooted brand, as it helps to avoid food waste and empowers the consumer. Not to mention the incredible consumer value proposition that comes with premium ingredients—think marinated artichokes, verdant scoops of fresh artichoke and roasted garlic—priced right along with their standard counterparts.

“We are passionate about food safety and reducing waste, and our guests love the fact that they are paying for exactly what they created,” Henderson said. “Every ingredient on their plate was placed with a purpose.” 

While The Salad Station is growing, it will never lose sight of its family focus. For one, the brand maintains accommodating hours by being open from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, allowing younger staff members such as high school students to get home and get a good night’s sleep. Restaurants are closed on Sundays. 

“We’re closed on Sundays for family and church time, which is a good fit with our community,” Henderson said. “As the President and CEO, if I want to have lunch and relaxation with my family on Sundays, I’m not willing to tell my employees to work when we won’t.”

And the staff smiles are not to be missed. 

“The Salad Station does not require labor-intensive operations, so instead of hiring talent, we look to hire personality and smiles,” Henderson said. 

When guests can choose from over 100 toppings and dressings; an always “fresh, full, clean” bar; and pay by the pound, smiles seem a safe bet.

The Salad Station franchise investment ranges from $198,650 and $354,900. To learn more about franchising with The Salad Station, visit https://thesaladstation.com/franchising.