A married couple looking for another health-centric brand after success with Smoothie King found their new franchise in the fast-casual concept Salata Salad Kitchen.
Brian and Keri Leachman, owners of seven Smoothie Kings with another three in development, signed on to open a trio of Salata locations in South Carolina. The couple plan to open their restaurants in two cities, Myrtle Beach and Greenville.
For the Leachmans, it’s a continuation of a newer venture, as much of their background is in the automotive industry, rather than franchising. For more than three decades, they built a career in the retail automotive sector, and have had their own automotive marketing business for nearly 20 years.
They began looking toward franchising, though, to honor their late son. Jonathan Mayzak, 20, was a professional motocross rider who also loved the Smoothie King brand, and the Leachmans wanted to open a location of their own.
In 2019, Mayzak was killed when hit by an impaired driver. To carry on his legacy, his parents followed through on becoming franchisees with Smoothie King.
“We helped grow its presence in South Carolina quite significantly and then began looking for a new concept we could bring to the state,” Brian Leachman said. “We wanted something unique, that the market hadn’t seen before, as well as something that would complement what we had done with Smoothie King. We felt like Salata was a great fit for that.”
Their brand of choice is entering its 20th year of operations, as it was founded in 2005 and began franchising in 2006. Today, the concept has 103 locations, with the majority franchised, as just seven are company-owned.
Leachman said the brand’s kitchen operations and corporate support helped win the couple over in their consideration.
“We knew we wanted to do something healthy, and we looked at various concepts,” he said. “We kept going back to Salata because of its salad bar. We flew to Houston and visited a couple locations and were impressed with their layout and how the salad bar format was a benefit to the staff and the guests.”
Their trip to a few restaurants was followed by a visit to the brand’s corporate location for a discovery day. There, the Leachmans were reassured by Salata’s leadership.
“They take a tremendous amount of time to explain everything about their brand and mission,” Leachman said. “When meeting with us, we were able to talk to their marketing people, their supply chain people, and we learned they were all very involved. It shortens the curve of challenges.”
Tiffany Perez, Salata’s vice president of franchise development, said the feeling of confidence was mutual.
“The Leachmans overall embody a lot of the ideal aspects that our franchisees have when it comes to quality being our compass and nourishing our communities,” Perez said. “They live and breathe hospitality and bring a culture of integrity and respect, with a commitment to operational experience. It’s important for us to partner with those types of franchisees.”
The three-unit deal is part of a geographical effort by the brand to grow in southern states. Perez said South Carolina in particular was the right place for expansion because of its population growth and a strong fast-casual scene. Along with South Carolina, Perez said the brand is targeting markets in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
After starting with three locations, Leachman said there’s opportunity for additional restaurants in the future.
“I think we will do beyond the three, but we went with the minimum at this point,” he said. “In these communities, we already have a presence there, catering clients and we know people. It is a good place to start operations, especially when bringing a new concept to a state.”
The initial investment to open a Salata Salad Kitchen ranges from $303,500 to $990,500. The brand offers franchisees a choice between non-traditional units between 950 and 1,800 square feet, and traditional restaurants between 1,800 and 2,500 square feet.