Salsa Fresca Mexican Grill, whose always-fresh, never-frozen concept has driven its popularity and growth throughout Connecticut and New York, continues to bring its popular brand of fast casual cuisine to new communities with its new franchise strategy. The first franchise location opened in West Hartford, Connecticut on December 1, 2020, marking the 11th location of the popular regional chain.

The franchise initiative will be led by industry veteran Troy Davidson, who will serve as Salsa Fresca Mexican Grill’s first Franchise Territory Director with a mandate to grow units in CT, RI, Western MA and parts of NY. Troy brings 25 years of industry experience to the table, and as a former franchisee at McDonald’s, Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern, and Jersey Mike’s, Davidson has a deep working knowledge of every aspect of the franchise business including real estate, construction, operations, marketing, finance and human resources.

“Salsa Fresca is in a perfect position for growth over the next few years,” says Davidson. “The chain has done exceptionally well even during the pandemic, and Salsa Fresca figured out early on how to manage in a new environment. While the world is still experiencing some changes as a result of the pandemic, Salsa Fresca has adapted with new protocols such as curbside pickup, online ordering and delivery partnerships. We are starting to see sales increase in existing locations, and opportunities for franchised stores are arising in some exciting new locations.”

The franchise program has been a long time coming, and Davidson had been in discussions with Salsa Fresca’s co-owners for several years. “We were ready to move forward just before the pandemic hit,” adds Davidson. “Obviously we had to take time to reassess, but now is the time to grow. Yes, the world has changed, but the opportunity is still there, and Salsa Fresca is positioned very well for growth in the months and years ahead.”

Salsa Fresca’s strategy has always taken an aggressive line on growth, and the owners are working towards making their franchise business readily available, especially as more people with deep industry experience are looking for new opportunities. “We are especially eager to bring on new franchise partners in markets where they have local knowledge,” said Marc Miles, co-owner of Salsa Fresca Mexican Grill. “We have a solid foundation, a stand out product, a dedicated base of customers and strong core values and we’ve been very fortunate to be able to pivot quickly and adapt to very challenging circumstances. We’re looking forward to the opening of our very first franchised store in West Hartford, as well as three new corporate-owned stores in Connecticut in the near future.”

While the restaurant industry has seen a difficult time in 2020, the coming year has promise, especially with the entire industry moving towards a more conscious, sustainable model and a special focus on safety. “This increased awareness fits in well with our business model, which has always been to operate in a safe and clean environment with a focus on ‘fresh food you can trust,’” says Miles. “Each of our outlets, whether corporate-owned or franchise, remains committed to this policy.”

Salsa Fresca is currently seeking experienced multi-unit operators to develop franchise territories.

Emerging Concepts, Fast Casual, Franchising, News, Salsa Fresca Mexican Grill