1851

When consumers and foodservice professionals alike think “salad concept,” chances are they picture one of two things: Either a less-than-ideal setup characterized by iceberg lettuce, few offerings and poor quality, or a trend-driven model that may offer up a higher-quality selection—with&nbsp; a premium price tag.Enter <a href="https://thesaladstation.com/franchising?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-salad-stations-mother-and-son-co-founders-cindy-and-scott-henderson-built-their-dream-business-then-watched-the-lines-run-out-the-door-2711043" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Salad Station</a>. The build-your-own salad concept was started in 2012 by co-founders and mother-and-son duo Cindy and Scott Henderson. The history of the brand’s founding goes to the core of just what makes The Salad Station such a uniquely differentiated concept: In a very real way, it all began in 1943 with Cindy’s father, Italian-American farmer Joe Liuzza.&nbsp;Despite being faced with a less-than-welcoming community sentiment, Liuzza perservered against discrimination to start his own produce farm in the 1940s, eventually growing the business to become the largest strawberry producer in the state of Louisiana. Liuzza’s entrepreneurial spirit clearly ran through the family: First, his daughter Cindy went on to open two farmers market locations—<a href="https://berrytownproduce.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-salad-stations-mother-and-son-co-founders-cindy-and-scott-henderson-built-their-dream-business-then-watched-the-lines-run-out-the-door-2711043" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Berry Town</a>. Next, her son, Scott, transformed his post-high school job as a wholesale produce distributor into the purchase and rebranding of a Hammond, Louisiana haunt, now called Buddies Bar &amp; Grill and regarded as <a href="http://www.buddiesbarandgrill.org/home?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-salad-stations-mother-and-son-co-founders-cindy-and-scott-henderson-built-their-dream-business-then-watched-the-lines-run-out-the-door-2711043" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the best steakhouse in town</a>.It was precisely because of Cindy and Scott’s prior experience with fresh produce distribution and food sales that, when the two realized the opportunity to join forces and open their shared “dream business” of an always-fresh, always-quality salad concept, they knew they had the acumen and insight to do so. The two co-founded The Salad Station in 2012 and began franchising in 2015, with Scott as president and CEO.“My goal has always been to ‘wow’ people,” said Henderson. “I always wanted people to feel that we exceeded the cost of the item in terms of quality and value.”That’s precisely wherein The Salad Station stands apart from the competition. Thanks to distribution acumen and the Hendersons’ farming background, the pay-by-the-pound “Full, Fresh, Clean” brand is able to take the cost of lower-tier salad concepts and the quality of their trend-hungry peers to fill a gap in the market like no other concept can. That’s salad by the people, for the people.And the consumer demand shows that it’s working.The Salad Station’s first location launched in Hammond, Louisiana, and on the third or fourth day of business, “the line was out the door,” said Scott. The Hendersons knew that their “dream business” was now more than wish fulfillment—it was a full-blown success. The Salad Station began expanding through franchising and today has five locations open or soon-to-open, with another 15 in development and an aggressive growth plan to hit 30 by the end of 2020. Target markets include Huntsville and Montgomery, Alabama; Orlando, Pensacola and the Panhandle region of Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Oxford, Mississippi; Nashville, Tennessee; Houston, Texas; and the Carolinas.Naming just what has allowed The Salad Station to capture the hearts—and stomachs—of a traditionally meat-favoring portion of the U.S. makes for an impressive list. Driven by the brand slogan of “Full, Fresh, Clean,” The Salad Station’s pay-by-the-pound, build-your-own salad bars are always fully stocked and meticulously kept. Staff members flip the bar at lunch and replace the a.m. tongs with a set of alternate-color p.m. tongs; the produce is sourced locally and prepped in-store for optimum freshness; and the concept offers a whopping 100-plus toppings to choose from—over three times the variety of other BYO salad concepts.In addition to keeping consumers satisfied through quality and variety, The Salad Station is also continually innovating. The brand enjoys an ever-evolving menu, recently rolling out on-the-spot chop or wrap options for guests on the go and event and even recently launched their own automated <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/salad-station-unveils-salad-robot?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-salad-stations-mother-and-son-co-founders-cindy-and-scott-henderson-built-their-dream-business-then-watched-the-lines-run-out-the-door-2711043" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Salad Station, salad-making robot</a> with touch screen customization.&nbsp;But that’s not the only market-dominating element to The Salad Station’s franchise opportunity. The lack of a full-service buildout means a lower cost of entry and the kind of streamlined operations that allows Salad Station managers to hire for personality. The Salad Station locations are built around a healthy work-life balance, operating from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and are closed on Sundays.&nbsp;“From Day One, we said, ‘We’re not going to tell someone to work on Sundays and not spend time with their family if we’re not doing that ourselves,’” Scott said. Impressively, even with these hours, the typical The Salad Station operator enjoyed 3-to-1 returns in 2018.The brand is also led by an executive team with an impressive depth of knowledge in terms of franchising; Director of Franchise Operations Garrick Robert worked for eight years as a franchise consultant for previously Louisiana-based wellness and lifestyle brand Smoothie King; head of Franchise Development John Mike Heroman started his own wireless repair service and grew it to 75 franchised locations before selling to the nation’s largest wireless repair company and joining The Salad Station team; and new store opener Kevin Laurent has garnered considerable experience quickly equipping new owners within The Salad Station system to hit the ground running following their Grand Opening Day.&nbsp;So just what kind of franchise candidate is The Salad Station looking for in terms of expanding its footprint? In short: The Hometown Hero.“We look for someone who is passionate about the brand and our focus on farm, family and faith,” said Henderson. “And you have to be a hard worker. We look candidates in the eye and say, ‘Are you ready to work diligently and get after this?’ If you’re willing to make that sacrifice, it will get better and easier, but you have to be willing to go all in.”And even though the brand has been so successful that it’s grown to a footprint of 20 units opened or in development as of September 2019, Scott emphasized that brand commitment has to come from a commitment to community over the bottom line.“We stress up front: If you’re in this for the money, this is not your brand. We want to bring value to our communities, reach out, be a community partner and make people say, ‘Wow!’,” Henderson said. “If you want to work as hard as you can to make people happy, then we are your fit.”Sounds like a franchise opportunity that’s a cut—and a chop—above the rest. The Salad Station franchise investment ranges from $198,650 and $354,900. To learn more about franchising with The Salad Station, visit <a href="https://thesaladstation.com/franchising?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-salad-stations-mother-and-son-co-founders-cindy-and-scott-henderson-built-their-dream-business-then-watched-the-lines-run-out-the-door-2711043" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://thesaladstation.com/franchising</a>.&nbsp;

The Salad Station’s Mother-and-Son Co-Founders Cindy and Scott Henderson Built Their Dream Business—Then Watched the Lines Run Out the Door

1851 Franchise

A streamlined and scalable model, expert executive leadership and a market-disrupting premium concept—plus over 100 tasty toppings—make The Salad Station a rewarding investment.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

the-salad-stations-mother-and-son-co-founders-cindy-and-scott-henderson-built-their-dream-business-then-watched-the-lines-run-out-the-door

Fresh Coat

Fresh Coat West Greensboro - Fresh Coat Cares - Red Cross

Fresh Coat Cares Partners With the Red Cross to Refresh Community Conference Space

fresh-coat-cares-partners-with-the-red-cross-to-refresh-community-conference-space

Voodoo Brewing Co.

What’s in the 2025 FDD? A Closer Look for Voodoo Brewing Co. Franchise Buyers

whats-in-the-2025-fdd-a-closer-look-for-voodoo-brewing-co-franchise-buyers

United Water Restoration Group

Master Marketer, Community Builder: How Rodney Washington Turned Local Visibility Into Success

Master Marketer, Community Builder: How Rodney Washington Turned Local Visibility Into Franchise Success

master-marketer-community-builder-how-rodney-washington-turned-local-visibility-into-franchise-success

Preservan

How to Read the Preservan 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document

how-to-read-the-preservan-2025-franchise-disclosure-document

Woodhouse Spas

Why Woodhouse Spas Is in a Class of Its Own: Comparing the Franchise Opportunity Across the Wellness Industry

why-woodhouse-spas-is-in-a-class-of-its-own-comparing-the-franchise-opportunity-across-the-wellness-industry

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Hardee’s Lawsuit Highlights the Risk of Going Off-Model in Franchising

hardees-franchise-lawsuit-paradigm-investment-group

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Dave’s Hot Chicken Sold to Roark Capital in $1 Billion Deal to Fuel Global Expansion

daves-hot-chicken-sold-to-roark-capital-in-1-billion-deal-to-fuel-global-expansion

Homebuyers Keep Buying — And That’s Good News for Home Service Franchises - 1851 Franchise

Homebuyers Keep Buying — And That’s Good News for Home Service Franchises

homebuyers-keep-buying-and-thats-good-news-for-home-service-franchises

AI Could Push Unemployment to 20% — Fueling a Surge in First-Time Franchise Buyers - 1851 Franchise

AI Could Push Unemployment to 20% — Fueling a Surge in First-Time Franchise Buyers

ai-unemployment-impact-white-collar-job-loss

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

The Ultimate Guide To Selling Franchises — How To Build Webinars

how-franchisors-can-build-effective-webinars-to-reach-prospective-franchisees

The Ultimate Guide To Selling Franchises: How To Budget Properly

how-franchises-can-budget-their-finances-properly

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition — Point of Differentiation

The Salad Station’s Mother-and-Son Co-Founders Cindy and Scott Henderson Built Their Dream Business—Then Watched the Lines Run Out the Door

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS