CRISP & GREEN, a Minnesota-based fast casual concept, today announced it has sold out the state of Minnesota by signing a multi-unit development deal with seasoned second-generation franchise operator, Blake Graves.
Graves will be the company’s second franchise partner, joining Kris Humphries who recently opened the first of his six locations on the University of Minnesota campus in Dinkytown. From its inception in 2016, CRISP & GREEN has continued to build momentum, and demand for the brand is evident. In just a few short months after announcing the company’s franchise program, the state of Minnesota is now sold out with the announcement of this latest deal. Graves comes with a family background in franchising, owning and operating more than 100 locations of a successful national pizza chain across multiple states.
“CRISP & GREEN was unlike any quick-service restaurant I had previously been to and was an option that I had seen lacking in not only my daily life, but the daily life of those around me,” Graves says. “The team at CRISP & GREEN truly is what makes this brand stand apart. From my first meeting, I knew that they not only believed in the product and values that they were promoting but actually lived a life surrounded by health and wellness. What you see in the stores is curated and lived out in every way.”
The brand’s CEO and founder, Steele Smiley created CRISP & GREEN with the intention to provide convenient, healthy, made-from-scratch food that not only tasted great, but made guests feel great too. In addition to serving guests with nourishing meals, the brand hosts regular fitness and wellness events within the locations, offering a holistic wellness experience that is unmatched in the market today.
Smiley believes that the combination of healthy food, community-focused fitness and wellness events, along with experienced, elite franchise partners are setting the brand up for massive expansion and success.
“The opportunity to bring this brand nationwide has the potential to change the world and the way we relate to food for the better. Ultimately, our franchisees will enable us to carry out our mission of providing healthy food & accessible wellness resources to as many communities as possible,” Smiley says. “We are happy to announce Minnesota as sold out, and address the incredible demand for CRISP & GREEN outside of our home state.”
Through the signing of this latest multi-unit deal, Graves will develop the remaining CRISP & GREEN territories in Minnesota, expanding the brand to 14 Minnesota locations. Graves and Humphries will each build multiple stores in 2019, and updates about new locations and developments will be posted to CRISP & GREEN’s social media platforms.
