The London-founded salad brand adds a Covent Garden location as it builds on £5 million revenue and explores nationwide growth through franchising.
London-based grab-and-go brand The Salad Kitchen has secured its ninth site in the capital, agreeing to open at 39 Drury Lane in Covent Garden as founders Sam Cole and Ross Cannon continue to develop the business and pursue wider UK expansion.
Founded in 2014, The Salad Kitchen has built its business around freshly prepared, customisable salad bowls, with its signature Crunchbox featuring ingredients that are roasted, fermented or marinated in-house. The concept combines fresh produce with bold flavours, targeting customers looking for convenient alternatives to traditional lunch options.
The Covent Garden agreement marks another step in the company’s growth, taking its London estate beyond the eight stores currently listed on its website. Samuel Nassimi of Matta London acted on the Covent Garden deal. Nassimi also advised on the company’s Canary Wharf property transaction, where the business has doubled the size of its existing premises.
The Salad Kitchen’s growth has been supported by improving financial performance. The business opened its first premises in 2014 and reportedly doubled its revenue to £5 million in 2024. It has also recorded a profit every year since 2021, according to Propel.
Franchising remains an important part of the founders’ longer-term growth strategy. The company previously launched a franchise offer in 2024 after opening its fifth location, describing the concept as an opportunity for prospective operators to enter the food-to-go market with relatively low setup costs. At the time, the business promoted setup costs of less than £100,000 and an expected payback period of under two years. These were company-stated projections rather than independently verified franchise performance figures.
The founders have also outlined ambitions to take The Salad Kitchen nationwide through franchising, with a long-term target of 100 locations. An earlier report by MCA Insight highlighted the ambition to build a business bigger than Pret, signalling the scale of the opportunity the founders see in the UK healthy food market.
The ninth-site development adds momentum to that ambition. However, the company has not publicly detailed its current franchise network, confirmed franchise partners or updated investment requirements.
With more than a decade of trading history, reported profitability since 2021 and revenue reaching £5 million, The Salad Kitchen is building the foundations for its next phase of growth. The challenge now will be to translate its London-focused operating model into a scalable nationwide franchise business.
