Salad and Go, the fast-expanding salad chain with roots in the Valley, has recently shifted its strategic focus from building a new distribution center to aggressively opening new restaurant locations. Initially, the company had entertained the idea of upscaling its logistics with a 100,000-square-foot food processing and cold storage facility in metro Phoenix. However, ambitions have been adjusted to prioritize brick-and-mortar expansion.
The decision comes after Salad and Go, working with Minnesota-based Ryan Cos., had filed site plans last year with the city of Surprise. The site under consideration was a 10-acre parcel equipped with light industrial zoning and strategically positioned on the southwest corner of Sweetwater Avenue and Litchfield Road. This location is not only in the vicinity of residential areas like Veramonte and Marley Park but is also in a burgeoning industrial corridor, home to employers like Amazon and Trimaco. In a strategic move to instead bolster restaurant numbers, the company has determined to not quickly follow through on the initial site plans.
According to a report from the Business Journal, the previous distribution center envisaged for the site in Phoenix is no longer on the drawing board in light of this new paradigm. This pivot is indicative of a wider trend in the fast-casual industry where market capture and customer reach are increasingly driven via restaurant density.
As for the would-have-been facility space, current owner Sweetwater Industrial Partners LLC is now to actively market the property for retail development through Orion Investment Real Estate. The turn of events signals to potential upswing in retail opportunities for the area. Local communities could soon be seeing a variety of new commercial enterprises taking root, now that the site is being reenvisioned for retail rather than for industrial use. This development aligns with Salad and Go's fresh dedication to increasing its presence with more accessible locations to the public.
The full story detailing Salad and Go's change of plans and the potential impact on the local economy has been collaboratively covered in partnership with the Phoenix Business Journal and can be read on KTAR.com.
