Husband-and-Wife Bodybuilding Coaches Partner with Salad Station to Bring Healthy Options to Downtown New Orleans

Salad Station, a gourmet pay by the pound salad franchise based in Hammond, Louisiana, was founded in 2012 by a family of third-generation farmers who wanted to create a concept that would provide fresh, healthy food options to their community, in a way that was convenient and fast. Today, as customers increasingly look for healthy and locally sourced food options following the pandemic, Salad Station is becoming a top contender ??in the booming fast-casual space due its simplified business model, strong support infrastructure, low cost of entry and innovative approach to healthy eating. These are some of the reasons why Louisiana-based health and fitness enthusiasts Norman and Mallory Bonck originally decided to join the Salad Station brand earlier this year.

“Franchising already has a system in place to help you succeed,” said Norman. “If I ever have a question, I know I can call corporate and they will be there to help answer it. We’re really passionate about health and fitness, so when we began looking for new concepts, we stuck to brands in those categories.”

The two are no strangers to health-focused business ownership. Norman previously started his own gym service and maintenance business called Gym MD, before the two purchased a few Anytime Fitness franchises in New Orleans, as well as a cell phone repair store. Mallory is a Louisiana State Bodybuilding champion, and the two currently coach and build meal plans for bodybuilders.

Now, they’ve decided to sell their gym franchises and focus on a new brand: Salad Station. The duo currently have plans to open their New Orleans location later this year.

“We wanted to consolidate our portfolio into one concept that encompassed everything we were looking for in a business,” said Norman. “The fact that Salad Station was young and growing really appealed to us because we wanted to be a part of that growth. We were excited to hear that there was potential for us to own multiple locations to expand our profits as well. With Salad Station, there is no ceiling to what we can achieve.”

Franchisees have an opportunity to join Salad Station at a pivotal time of growth and development. Since opening its doors to franchising in 2015, the brand has continued to grow throughout its home state of Louisiana and beyond, including new locations in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas and more.

The Salad Station is among the lower-cost restaurant franchise opportunities, and its business model is also streamlined and simple, Norman says, allowing for non-intensive operations and a flexible work-life balance.

Additionally, Salad Station’s executive team members work diligently with franchisees like the Boncks to provide support and training, offering tools and resources to contribute to every location’s success.

With this proven business model and support infrastructure in place, Norman says Salad Station allows franchisees to build a loyal customer base and strong connections within their respective communities by creating a welcoming, clean and open atmosphere for its guests. Salad Station prides itself on its approachable concept and ability to offer variety without the inflated price tags due to its pay-by-the-pound approach.

“Our community is focused on health and wellness, including vegan and vegetarian options,” said Norman. “Our Salad Station location is a healthy, safe place where locals can enjoy a fresh meal. We have experience putting meal plans together for bodybuilders, so we are best-suited to offer the public healthy options that align with their wellness goals.”

Looking ahead, Salad Station aims to partner with hard-working, family-focused individuals like the Boncks who are eager to dedicate themselves to growing with the brand.

“Norman and Mallory perfectly exemplify the types of community-driven values we look for in our franchise partners,” said Co-founder and President Scott Henderson. “We are thrilled to have them on the team bringing the Salad Station brand to downtown New Orleans and are excited to partner with more and more franchisees like the Boncks as we grow across the country.”

The startup costs for a franchise with Salad Station range from $198,650 to $354,900. The franchise fee is $32,000. To learn more about franchising with Salad Station, visit http://saladstationfranchise.com/.