Salata, the built-to-order salad kitchen that allows guests to customize and create meals that fit their lifestyle, recently signed an agreement with a seasoned multi-unit entrepreneur and veteran, Colin O’Hara, to develop three locations in the Panhandle of Florida.
Recognizing a need for a healthy fast-casual option in his community, O’Hara’s passion for entrepreneurship led him to Salata. He was instantly impressed with the brand’s commitment to quality ingredients, its scalable model and the opportunity it presented for growth. Eager to bring the Salata brand to his community, O’Hara plans to open his first restaurant in the fall of 2023.
“I’ve seen the impact that a great brand and a strong support system can have on the success of a business firsthand,” says O’Hara. “With Salata, it was clear that their Home Office team truly had their franchisees best interests in mind and offered a product and well-positioned model that you can believe in. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of a brand that is committed to providing fresh, nutritious food to its guests and is making a positive impact on people’s health and well-being.”
O’Hara is a Florida native and brings a diverse portfolio to the table, complete with an indispensable set of professional skills and prior restaurant experience. O’Hara also served as a flight officer in the Navy and then worked in corporate finance for a number of years. He credits these ventures for his strong work ethic, keen eye for detail and leadership capabilities.
Houston-based Salata offers built-to-order salads and wraps alongside soups, teas, and lemonades, empowering guests to create their ideal meal in an accessible way. With more than 50 fresh toppings available on the menu including fresh fruits, vegetables and proteins prepared in-house daily and house-made salad dressings, Salata has established a loyal following by providing customizable options for any lifestyle.
Salata has been growing rapidly across the nation on its road to 100 locations. With 17 openings slotted for 2023, the brand is expected to reach 100 locations by the end of the year.
“We are thrilled to see Salata continue expanding across the country and it’s especially exciting to enter a brand-new state,” says Michele Maerz, VP of Operations at Salata. “With franchisees like Colin in place, we can continue to grow and thrive in new markets like Florida. His exceptional background and commitment to community wellness makes him the perfect fit as a Salata franchisee, and we are proud to have him bring the Salata brand to Florida.”
Salata has maintained its place at the leading edge of the fast casual restaurant category with tech-enabled advancements. Continually looking to evolve and find new, innovative ways to meet the needs of its guests and franchisees while staying true to its brand, Salata recently launched a systemwide restaurant “Refresh” program. Officially launching in 2022, the program guides existing franchisees in updating the brand’s legacy restaurants with a completely new look and feel, which offers the clean and fresh ambiance guests have come to associate with the salad kitchen’s menu and ingredients. The new, crisp design is as appealing to operators as it is to guests with a separate online order station, offering a quick and easy pickup option and increased operational efficiencies for franchisees and their teams.
