MAD Greens, the Colorado-born brand known for its flavorful salads, has added Loren Bontrager to its executive team as Vice President of Franchise and Development. Bontrager comes to the brand with a well-rounded background in franchising having spent nearly 10 years in various leadership positions at notable companies such as Jamba Juice and FOCUS Brands.
Bontrager brings extensive franchise sales and development experience to this new role at MAD Greens. His most recent position was the Vice President of Franchise Sales and Development with Buff City Soap, where he led all-new franchise sales growth for the company. He also created and implemented a franchise sales program for Jamba Juice which included a new franchise development website, franchise support center videos, sales collateral and franchisee validation videos. Aside from more traditional franchise development efforts, Bontrager has previously focused on non-traditional franchise growth across the seven brands a part of the FOCUS Brands portfolio.
“When I joined the franchise industry in 2013, I never expected for it to take me to so many great places and provide as many opportunities as it has given me. I’ve strategized growth for emerging brands like Teriyaki Madness, to established brands like Jamba and Auntie Anne’s. It has given me a unique understanding of the various ways to problem solve and innovate for a brand at every stage of franchise growth,” said Bontrager. “Darden and the rest of the MAD Greens team have done a wonderful job creating a clear vision for the brand which is what drew me to this role. I am eager to hit the ground running and help bring MAD Greens to more communities.
In February 2023, MAD Greens announced a new growth strategy focused on expanding the brand through franchising across North America. It is looking to have 50 percent more stores in development come year-end by seeking out multi-unit investors looking to add a salad-centric concept amid the thriving healthy food market. With a surge in same store sales performance that is presenting a strong sales to initial investment ratio, MAD Greens is targeting key markets in Arizona, Texas, and surrounding states.
“Loren has had an impressive number of accomplishments throughout his career in the franchise industry. The expertise he brings is extremely valuable as we enter this next phase of our development,” says Darden Coors, Chief Executive Officer. “We have complete confidence that Loren is going to take MAD Greens to a new level and pique skilled operators’ interest in being a part of this innovative brand.”
Prospective franchisees should be aligned with MAD Greens’ eccentric brand and core values of individuality, working shoulder to shoulder, and having ‘fun at work.’ Likewise, the ideal candidate should have multi-unit franchise and restaurant experience, and champion the mission statement that, healthy eating should be fun and approachable for everyone.
