Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
Just Salad announced that it has raised 200 million dollars in new capital in a funding round led by Wellington Management, with participation from D1 Capital Partners, Neuberger Berman, and Stripes. According to the company, the investment values Just Salad at approximately 1 billion dollars and will be used to support new restaurant growth, menu development, technology initiatives, and improvements to the customer experience.
The company stated that the funding will help accelerate its national expansion and support continued innovation across its operations. “The quick-service food industry is in the early days of disruption, and the average consumer desperately wants healthy, craveable, convenient, and accessible options; no one does that better than Just Salad,” said Nick Kenner, Founder and CEO of Just Salad. He added, “We are proud to partner with world-class investors like Wellington, D1, Neuberger Berman, and Stripes to propel our next phase of growth.”
Founded in New York City in 2006, Just Salad was created to meet demand for fast, healthy, and sustainable food options. The company has since expanded its menu to include salads, wraps, warm bowls, soups, and smoothies. According to the company, its food is prepared using homemade dressings, produce prepped daily, and ingredients made from scratch, with proteins marinated overnight and cooked fresh throughout the day.
Just Salad currently operates nearly 100 locations across New York, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The company said its growth has been driven by strong customer demand, disciplined real estate selection, and a focus on operational efficiency. It reported industry-leading same-store sales growth supported by increased customer traffic and strong overall revenue performance.
The company is also known for its sustainability initiatives. Just Salad is a Certified B Corporation and operates what it describes as the longest-running reusable bowl program in the U.S. restaurant industry. According to the company, the program prevents approximately 43,000 pounds of single-use packaging waste each year. Since 2021, Just Salad says it has saved more than 160,000 meals from landfills and avoided over 430,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions through its partnership with Too Good To Go.
Michael Carmen, Co-Head of Private Investments at Wellington Management, said the firm sees strong potential in the brand. “Just Salad offers consumers a great product at an attractive price and stands out from other restaurant companies with its strong brand and impressive same-store sales growth,” he said. He added that the company’s growth is being driven by increased consumer traffic and performance that is outpacing others in the fast-casual category.
Wellington Management, D1 Capital Partners, Neuberger Berman, and Stripes are investors with experience across consumer and retail sectors. The company said the investment comes at a key moment as Just Salad prepares for its next phase of expansion. BofA Securities served as the exclusive placement agent for the transaction, and Latham & Watkins provided legal counsel.
