On the heels of inking its largest development deal to date, STEELE BRANDS®, a Minnesota-based company known for establishing and developing healthy lifestyle restaurants, will debut its CRISP & GREEN® concept in Arkansas this spring. The healthy fast casual brand is slated to open in Bentonville in April, marking the first of five CRISP & GREEN restaurants planned for The Natural State. Underpinned by growing consumer demand for healthy and convenient food options, the Bentonville location will catapult CRISP & GREEN into its busiest year to date, in which it is expected to more than double its restaurant count across 15 states in 2023 alone.
“As we embark on our most ambitious development year in company history, our CRISP & GREEN mission remains as it was when we began: to provide world-class food and hospitality for our guests, and become an integral part of their local communities,” said Steele Smiley, founder and Executive Chairman of STEELE BRANDS. “We are strategically growing with dedicated franchise partners who are as invested in the brand and community as we are – with the same conviction for improving the lives of our many guests through nourishing food and a warm, welcoming place to gather in their own communities.”
With the Bentonville opening, Arkansas will become CRISP & GREEN’s eighth state – a number the brand is on pace to double before year’s end. The five-unit Arkansas expansion is part of a multi-market development agreement with The Green Guys, LLC, which will kick off in Bentonville and be followed by restaurant openings in Arkansas and North Carolina.
“Bentonville is the perfect gateway for CRISP & GREEN’s expansion in Arkansas because residents value an active lifestyle, which aligns perfectly with the brand’s mission to foster healthy living in and outside the kitchen,” said The Green Guys franchise partner, Tony Airoso. “Bentonville’s active residents love spending time adventuring through the great outdoors, and CRISP & GREEN’s healthy and convenient salads, grain bowls, smoothies and more are the perfect on-the-go options for fishing, hunting and mountain biking, as well as for busy professionals who want nourishing food fast. Our restaurant will also offer a catering menu featuring individual bowls and large party-sized bowls ideal for corporate lunches and social get-togethers.”
Since its founding in 2016, CRISP & GREEN has carved out a unique space for itself in the healthy fast casual sector. The brand continues to cement its reputation and marketplace position as a provider of convenient and nourishing bowls, salads, smoothies and more that are handcrafted with sustainable, consciously sourced ingredients. On a mission to provide food that fuels, the fast casual restaurant is committed to changing the wellness and wellbeing of customers by delivering an exceptional experience from the moment they walk in the doors.
More than just great food, CRISP & GREEN places special emphasis on its "Commitment to Community'' by partnering with local fitness experts to provide complimentary classes to their guests. Bentonville-area fitness studios and ambassadors interested in partnering with the brand are encouraged to contact [email protected].
CRISP & GREEN’s Bentonville restaurant will be located at 1401 S. Walton Blvd. For more information on the brand, visit www.crispandgreen.com and follow @crispandgreen on Instagram and Facebook.
About CRISP & GREEN
CRISP & GREEN was founded in 2016 by CEO Steele Smiley on the belief that nourishing a healthy lifestyle goes beyond the kitchen. The fast casual destination blends healthy and nutritious foods, community engagement and complimentary fitness to create the “Living Crisp” movement. The brand’s goal is to create an approachable environment for all through its exceptional product and world-class hospitality. CRISP & GREEN is experiencing rapid national growth and functions as a rare example of positive growth, expansion and evolution in the current restaurant landscape. For more information, visit www.crispandgreen.com.
About STEELE BRANDS
STEELE BRANDS is the brand development company created by Steele Smiley. The company has a decade of proven success developing disruptive challenger brands that make it easier for people to live healthy lifestyles. The company is focused on partnering with experienced franchise owners to bring healthy lifestyle brands to national scale with a local touch. STEELE BRANDS portfolio includes some of the fastest growing franchises in America including three fast-casual restaurant brands: CRISP & GREEN, STALK & SPADE and PACO & LIME. The company has more than 250 restaurants built and in development across all three brands and growing as of March 10, 2023. For more information, visit www.steelebrands.com.
