Montreal-based Mandy’s Gourmet Salads has opened the doors of its latest restaurant at The Well in downtown Toronto.
Founded in 2004 by sisters Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe, Mandy’s Gourmet Salads has evolved from a humble beginning into a brand with eleven locations, and more on the horizon.
“Our strategy right now is to keep expanding in Ontario, said Mandy and Rebecca in an exclusive interview with Retail Insider. “We figure if we have eight locations in Montreal, we could open that many or more in Toronto! There are so many different neighbourhoods and communities we would love to feed and be a part of here. And following Ontario, we’d love to move west to Vancouver. We feel the demand and there is so much potential there and beyond!”
Mandy’s Salads at the Well is located on the “Upper Ground” floor, which is in close proximity to the central walkway of the development while also providing streetfront viewing off Wellington.
With this specific unit, the opportunity to animate two separate entrances gave the design team the chance to build out a dedicated Pick Up area.
“As delivery has become such a fundamental part of our business we decided to introduce this new Pick Up feature which combines the operational functionality with the design of our restaurant. Now we can serve this area directly from our kitchen. We also have a separate door where customers can come pick up their orders to ensure they are getting their lunch as quickly and easily as possible. We’re hoping this will allow the dining room to feel less crowded for our in house customers.”
“As we get to know the neighbourhood better we’d love to collaborate with local food partners to highlight seasonal ingredients and bring our usual Montreal flare to Toronto (look out for smoked meat and poutine salads!) our menu now has all of the favorites our customers have come to know and love.”
Brandon Gorman of JLL is handling lease negotiations for Mandy’s Gourmet Salads.
Retail leasing for The Well is handled by Josh Katz, Assistant Vice President of Leasing, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust and Alex Edmison, Senior Vice President, CBRE.
From starting in the back of a women’s clothing store in 2004 to now operating eleven locations, the brand has evolved creatively while maintaining consistency for quality.
“As the company has gained traction, we were allowed to actualize our design and menu dreams by opening up larger locations to accommodate more menu items and more space to design our fantasy restaurants. There’s always been a hyper attention to detail, even from the start when it comes to food quality and overall customer experience. We’ve hoped that those 2 contributing factors have helped propel the brand to be associated with excellence.As we’ve grown we’ve put a lot of time and energy and money into training programs to ensure consistency across all our locations. We’ve also partnered with some amazing suppliers and manufacturers to ensure food consistency is maintained. So whether you’re eating at a Mandy’s in Montreal or in Toronto you can expect the same experience.
“From a design perspective we’ve made sure that all of our locations share commonalities (i.e family wall, textures like marble and tiles, and overall vibe!) But our favourite thing is to innovate. And I (Rebecca Wolfe) love to try new things in each space and whatever is inspiring me at the moment plays a big part in that.”
International design-build firm SAJO built out the space, and has built all new locations since 2017.
The opportunity at The Well for Mandy’s as the brand continues to grow is evident throughout the company.
“This opening marks a significant milestone for Mandy’s, yet it’s just the beginning of our expansion journey,” said Vanessa Fracheboud, President of Mandy’s Gourmet Salads.
“We are driven by a vision to redefine fast-fancy dining, proving that fast can still be fancy, and healthy can still be deliciously beautiful. We are immensely grateful for the warm reception and support from the Toronto community. Your enthusiasm fuels our passion and inspires us to continuously improve and innovate. Thank you for welcoming us with open arms and making us a part of your daily lives.”
After The Well, the brand shifts focus to its next endeavour in the Toronto market.
“We are definitely looking to open a few more restaurants in Toronto,” said Mandy & Rebecca. “More specifically, this summer we will be opening in Yorkville! Right near Cumberland park.”
“Following Ontario, we’re going to move west, opening a few in the Vancouver region. And you can be sure to see us opening in the US in a couple of years. Miami, LA, and New York are all priorities for us. The dream is to have a Mandy’s all over the globe, Paris and Tokyo are only 2 of the many big cities we want to open in. The possibilities are endless!”
The new restaurant at The Well, located on the Upper Floor at 437 Wellington, opened its doors on Monday, February 5.
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