Crisp & Green, a Minnesota lifestyle brand that blends nutritious foods, community and fitness, will begin its national franchise expansion in early 2021, as announced by CEO and founder Steele Smiley. Crisp & Green is a fast-casual restaurant specializing in scratch-made salads, grain bowls and smoothies. The national expansion will start in Dallas, Texas followed by South Dakota, Iowa and North Dakota, with more states to be announced soon.
The successful fast-casual brand has been making ambitious strides towards expansion since its launch in 2016, serving guests in-person as well as digitally via their proprietary app. With the widespread shift to digital ordering amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the brand was uniquely prepared to capture the increased demand for their healthy and convenient options, leading to accelerated growth in a time when the restaurant industry is struggling across the nation. The strength of Crisp & Green’s innovative and adaptive business model combined with their emphasis on building a community has set the brand apart and ahead. Today, the lifestyle company has 27 locations open or in development, including six more locations in its home state of Minnesota and additional locations across Texas, South Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa.
“We have been very pleased with the success we’ve experienced in Minnesota and are thrilled that communities have embraced and supported us so quickly,” says Smiley. “We are eager to expand into other parts of the country to bring additional communities nutritious, great-tasting food in our unique welcoming environment. Everyone is welcome at our table and to take our fitness classes and other events.”
Beyond the fresh, fueling and delicious meals Crisp & Green makes from scratch, the brand aims to cultivate a broader culture of living well. To Crisp & Green, “Living Crisp” means enjoying a high-quality meal and being welcomed into a community that promotes a healthier way of life. Crisp & Green provides its valued customers with holistic programming and complimentary fitness classes including yoga, bootcamps, and more.
To ‘Live Crisp’ is to join an inclusive group that both encourages and supports wellness journeys for people to be their best selves from the inside out, and the Crisp & Green team is proud to provide new markets this opportunity.
Smiley has used his business expertise, especially in franchising, to grow Crisp & Green quickly since its founding in 2016. He is committed to providing wellness resources and events to create healthier, happier and stronger communities.
“It’s a unique time to be nationally franchising a brand like Crisp & Green while so many restaurants have shuttered,” adds Smiley. “I am fortunate to be in the position I am where I can continue to evolve this brand. The team and I are ready to see where we can take this company and the ‘Living Crisp’ movement. I think we have been so successful to date because our food exceeds expectations, we are a digitally native brand and our classes connect with community members across the board.”
