Throughout his life, Brian Mills watched his father navigate the highs and lows of entrepreneurship; he saw the risks, the rewards, and the sacrifices made. Eventually, he figured there had to be a better way to scale a business. After owning and operating a boutique pizza concept in San Diego for six years, he knew it was time to try something different—franchising. 

He teamed up with restaurant veterans like Wade Oney, former vice president of operations for Dominos and COO for Papa Johns, as well as one of the only Starbucks franchisees in the country; Philip Horn, manager of multiple Papa Johns franchises; and Allen Hertzman, who owned and operated over 40 Papa Johns locations in California and Ohio. 

It took multiple friends and a combined 100-plus years of franchise experience operating over 400 restaurants to build a franchise concept from scratch. In 2018, Mills and his partners stepped out of the pizza industry and launched CHOP5 Salad Kitchen, a good-for-you concept based out of Columbus, Ohio. 

Over the course of his career, Mills always had his finger on the pulse of industry trends; he’s tried his hand at pizza, burgers, and even sandwiches. As the number of health-conscious Americans continued to boom before and after the pandemic, he followed the trend, and it led him straight to CHOP5. 

“We wanted to feed people healthier options, so we watched that idea grow,” Mills says. “But we also realized that this was an open category for us to be able to get the right real estate. If we did another burger or taco concept, you can’t get to the center [of the market], you’re blocked out.” 

CHOP5’s menu encompasses chopped salads, protein bowls, rice bowls, and a build-your-own choice with a base, four ingredients, and house-made dressing. In the spirit of transparency, customers can watch as their meal is freshly prepared in front of them after ordering. 

The salad kitchen aims to change the way communities view and experience healthy food. For Mills, this means addressing the common misconception that wholesome options lack flavor or excitement. 

“This segment is lacking in the idea that a lot of people think eating healthier doesn’t taste as well, and they’re doing it because they have to,” Mills says. “The way we’ve set up CHOP5, it’s really about flavor for us. For example, we punch the flavor up in our dressings … They’re powerful and making them in-house helps us change the way people look at eating good.” 

Going beyond the dish, Mills places an extra emphasis on the execution of a robust service component, which he believes has all but been extinguished by the pandemic. On top of cultivating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, CHOP5 has a level of food theater as guests watch their vegetables being washed, chopped, and tossed in a salad. 

“I’m a little more old school when it comes to service,” Mills explains. “I think we’re missing it right now in the restaurant segment when we focus so heavily on modernizing [with technology]. I’ve always believed in the idea of putting together a show for customers and creating an environment where you can engage and talk to people. The food just tastes better this way.” 

After breaking into the Columbus market in 2018, Mills says the team laid low during the pandemic, figuring out the kinks in the model and figuring out where to go next. In January, Conscious Capital Growth (CCG) partnered with CHOP5 to fuel its development. This is one of the first companies to enter CCG’s Accelerator program. 

“We brought CCG into our fold, and it’s going to help us grow, but we want to do it the right way,” Mills says. “We don’t want to just sell franchises left and right … If you look at our history, our DNA as a franchisee, we know how to do it sustainably.” 

Right now, Mills is looking for what he calls “five fantastic franchisees” to kick off the CHOP5 franchise program and build a durable base for future acceleration efforts. He’s willing to be patient—in his experience, he’s watched too many brands come out of the box so fast they end up tripping over themselves eventually. 

In an ideal world, these first few franchisees will understand how to deal with fresh produce and make decisions on the spot. Mills is keen on finding partners who can build out a team with purpose and have the inner drive to hop on the CHOP5 concept early before they miss their chance.

CHOP5 currently has two locations in Ohio and one in the mid-Florida area next to the University of Central Florida. Mills says he’s not in a rush to open locations. He wants to find the right franchisees first. 

“It’s easy to say I want to open 25 stores next year, but it’s hard to put those goals out there right now while I’m looking for the right people,” Mills says. “It takes the right people and the right time … That’s when you make those goals.” 

While he wants to zero in on the underserved Midwestern and Southern markets, Mills isn’t limiting himself in the spread of his salad kitchen concept. He mentions if a sharp franchisee approaches him, who checks all the boxes, he’s open to other territories. It all comes back to attracting and retaining a stellar franchisee network. 

“We have so much knowledge to offer [prospective franchisees] within the CHOP5 ownership group. We’re all such great friends with a lot of trust and belief in each other,” Mills says. “If I was a franchisee on the outside looking in, I’d want to be aligned with a bunch of owners who can make great decisions and help guide me … between the group we have and the concept we made in this growing segment, we’re bringing a lot to the table.”