Saladworks Franchisees Reinvest in Brand as Demand Grows for Health-Focused Options

At age 11, Orhan Veli immigrated to the U.S. after the Soviet Republic was overthrown, forcing his family to flee their native country and eventually establish new roots near Philadelphia. When he was only in his twenties, Veli quickly jumped into the world of franchising with his father, George, and the two opened a Charleys Philly Steaks together. In 2012, wanting to diversify his business portfolio, Veli invested in Saladworks seeing broader growth opportunity in the region with the fresh-tossed salad concept.

“I was drawn to Saladworks because consumers are trending toward healthier options that are easy to grab on the go but don’t sacrifice quality. Saladworks meets this demand with a wide variety of fresh, healthy ingredients and limitless customization,” said Veli.

In a span of four short years, Veli has continuously expanded with the franchise, now owning four Saladworks locations and overseeing 75 employees throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Veli recently signed on for two additional locations and has plans to keep developing with the brand as revenue growth drives new business.

Veli isn’t the only existing franchisee continuing to reinvest in the brand, seeing major potential for the concept’s potential. In addition to Veli, Delaware resident, Sandra Webb left her job in corporate America to head into entrepreneurship and gain greater job flexibility and independence. She currently owns two Saladworks locations throughout Delaware.

“When I traveled for work, I’d always search for a Saladworks because it was a healthy option I could eat on the go and it was reliable. As busy Americans embrace a more well-rounded, healthier lifestyle, Saladworks is well-positioned to meet this shift and develop outwards,” said Webb.

Saladworks sales are reflecting this shift in consumer preference as the company completes its ninth consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales growth and a greater number of current franchisees like Veli and Webb are expanding with the brand. Saladworks is ensuring that it protects its leadership position in the category and has rolled out a remodeled store design across all locations, boasting a new restaurant layout and Saladworks logo, in addition to free WiFi and power stations where guests can charge their electronic devices. Saladworks is also centralizing its ordering technology with the switch to one consistent POS system across all restaurants, allowing the brand to gain valuable insight into customer menu choices and to access greater capabilities with online ordering.

“Seeing some our franchisees like Orhan and Sandra embracing our forward-thinking changes and continuing to invest in the brand will help with our overall growth and momentum as we move forward this year,” said Saladworks President and CEO Patrick Sugrue. “We want to continue to provide our franchise system with ongoing business building support, training and resources so that they can be successful business owners. We’re looking forward to continuing to grow from within the system while also partnering with qualified franchise candidates interested in a lucrative opportunity with the leading salad-centric fast casual restaurant.”

Looking ahead, Saladworks, with around 100 locations, continues to build momentum with positive sales growth and new openings in two major U.S. hubs, Atlanta and Dallas. These new markets and those that follow will debut a new menu, smaller retail footprint and reduced initial investment. Current initial investment for Saladworks ranges from $498,089 to $592,190, which includes a $35,000 franchisee fee. Find out more about franchising opportunities with Saladworks here: http://saladworksfranchising.com/.