Fresh Take: Coolgreens Unique Culinary Innovations Set a New Standard for Healthy Eating Flavor

The term “fresh” is a big buzzword in the QSR industry these days, as brands across the segment work to appeal to hungry customers who equate fresh products with healthier eating. But, here’s the thing: fresh sometimes doesn’t mean healthy. It probably doesn’t mean natural. And, often, it doesn’t mean flavorful either.

Since its founding in 2009, Coolgreens has focused on making fresh food that is also healthy, natural and packed with flavor. The brand’s menu is truly unique, featuring nutritional elements that reach far beyond just traditional salads. From flatbreads and wraps to quinoa bowls, most of the brand’s offerings are less than 600 calories.

The variable menu is specifically designed to appeal to a wide variety of diners, from ‘casual salad eaters’ who may not have been exposed to healthier options to those with unique dietary needs. In a traditionally female-dominated segment, Coolgreens menu is also specifically targeted to appeal to male tastes as well. The menu highlights decadent, yet health conscious options from fresh tuna steak sandwiches to delicious handmade flatbreads.

Menu Innovations

“Coolgreens has always had a fresh flavor profile, but our focus is also on creating house-made, clean flavors that simply can’t be found anywhere else,” said Coolgreens District Manager Angelo Cipollone, whose menu innovations have helped to fuel the brand’s rapid growth in its home state of Oklahoma. “Everything we do is scratch made, right down to the seasonings. We make everything in small batches, by hand, in each location, every day, and that’s what sets Coolgreens apart.”

The unique menu at Coolgreens includes influences from Cipollone’s extensive culinary experience, earned through Cornell University’s School of Hospitality, where he earned a culinary degree with a focus in Italian cooking. Through decades in executive chef positions with Lowe’s Hotels and Marriott’s Renaissance Hotels in markets across the country, Cipollone learned the importance of local focus.

“I helped to set up each individual hotel’s menu, focusing on unique, local flavor profiles in each market we went to,” he said. “That’s the same focus we have at Coolgreens.”

Culinary Experience

Cipollone’s experience eventually led him to Coolgreen’s home market of Oklahoma City, where he was quickly noticed at the highest levels, twice receiving recognition by the James Beard Foundation for menu writing, and earning accolades as a “caterer to watch” and “foodie to watch” in 2011 and 2012 by Convention South Magazine.

When the hotel changed ownership, Cipollone began searching for his next opportunity, and fate brought him to Coolgreens.

“I was really searching for inspiration, and a place I could truly make my mark,” he said. “The way I cook, I have to hit all the senses, or I don’t consider it success. At Coolgreens, we concentrate on the right combination of flavor and presentation, like a salad that’s both crisp and smooth, colorful, but healthy and green at the same time. We have a ‘pop’ factor to our food that you don’t find at other concepts.”

While fresh salads and a Southwestern Vinaigrette scratch-made dressing with fresh poblano and jalapeno peppers remain the brand’s best sellers, Coolgreens has worked to add unique additional flavor profiles, like quinoa bowls and baked flatbreads to appeal to a wider variety of diners.

Operational Efficiency

Coolgreens has also set itself apart in the segment by offering unparalleled operational efficiency. While many industry competitors require complicated machines and food prep processes, the heart of Coolgreens operations remain simple, fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a business model that is simple to follow, even without any previous experience.

Utilizing Coolgreens’ proven and easily replicated business model, the brand is now focused on bringing its unique creations to the masses through franchising, focusing on rapid expansion opportunities across the Southern U.S.

“We stand out because of flavor, period,” said Cipollone. “That’s how we’ve set ourselves apart. So many brands identify themselves as healthy and fresh, when often they’re not. We are focused on fresh in each of our locations, every day. We’re in the business of creating wow.”