Crisp & Green announced Tuesday an agreement to acquire 33 MAD Greens and Snappy Salads restaurants from the Coors family’s Salad Collective, a deal that positions the fast-casual chain to reach 100 locations by the end of 2026.
The Minneapolis-based company, currently with roughly 60 units, plans to convert the acquired restaurants to the Crisp & Green brand over time. Combined with previously scheduled openings, the transaction would bring the chain to the 100-unit milestone just a decade after its founding in Minnesota.
As part of the agreement, the Coors family will become a strategic minority partner in Crisp & Green. Financial terms were not disclosed, nor did the company provide a timeline for completing the restaurant conversions.
The acquisition will introduce Crisp & Green to Phoenix and Austin and expand its existing presence in Denver and Dallas. The deal also marks a significant expansion for a brand that has grown through company-operated restaurants, franchising, and investments from friends and family without institutional capital.
“We’ve spent the last decade proving that you can build a nationally recognized restaurant brand with a disciplined approach to growth, exceptional franchise partners and people who believe in what you’re building,” Steele Smiley, Crisp & Green founder and executive chairman, said in a statement. “Reaching 100 restaurants is a tremendous milestone, but what’s even more meaningful is how we’ve gotten here. We’ve built this business without institutional capital, and this transaction represents an exciting next chapter in our story.”
Founded in 2016, Crisp & Green has focused much of its development on the Midwest and other markets throughout the middle of the country instead of concentrating on major coastal cities.
The company has positioned itself around convenient, health-conscious dining, with a menu featuring made-from-scratch salads, grain bowls, wraps, sandwiches, and smoothies. Its wellness identity also extends outside its restaurants through community events and fitness programming.
Smiley said the brand’s geographic strategy has allowed it to capitalize on demand for healthier restaurant options in communities that may have fewer established competitors in the category.
“Consumers everywhere are looking for food that fits the way they want to live, and that demand isn’t limited to New York, Los Angeles or other major coastal cities,” Smiley said. “We’ve built our business by recognizing the opportunity in communities across the middle of the country, where guests want fresh, convenient food and a wellness community that accompanies it.”
Darden Coors, chairman of Salad Collective, said the agreement aligns with the company’s vision for the health-conscious restaurant category.
“Bringing MAD Greens and Snappy Salads together with Crisp & Green is a natural continuation of our strategy at Salad Collective,” Coors said in a statement. “We’re excited to partner with Crisp & Green and are confident in our shared vision.”
Following the acquisition, Crisp & Green plans to continue opening restaurants through new development and franchise partnerships as it integrates the acquired locations into its system.
The company has not disclosed how many of the 33 restaurants will be converted before the end of 2026 or how many additional openings are scheduled for the remainder of the year.
“They bring together the right brand, seasoned leadership, and passionate franchise partners to execute the next phase of that vision,” Coors said.
