Why is Chicken Salad Chick expanding into Minneapolis with the Coffey family?

Chicken Salad Chick, the rapidly growing Southern-inspired fast-casual restaurant concept, has announced a major expansion initiative into the Minneapolis metropolitan area, signing a multi-unit franchise agreement to open ten new locations across Minnesota. Though Chicken Salad Chick is not publicly traded, the company has captured significant private investment interest in recent years and continues to build a franchise pipeline rivaling public players in the fast-casual sector such as Shake Shack Inc. (NYSE: SHAK) and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG).

This move into the Upper Midwest—long considered an underpenetrated but highly promising territory for niche fast-casual concepts—marks a strategic acceleration in the company’s geographic footprint. Spearheading this expansion is the highly respected Coffey family, known for their athletic achievements and community involvement in Minnesota. Their partnership with Chicken Salad Chick combines grassroots brand advocacy, local star power, and an entrepreneurial family structure that aligns with the brand’s values.

The announcement adds to a growing trend in the restaurant franchising sector: celebrity-led or community-influencer-backed regional expansions designed to drive localized loyalty while accelerating national growth. Chicken Salad Chick’s strategy mirrors broader movements in the food and beverage sector, where authenticity, community connection, and family-first brand narratives are outperforming generic scale strategies.

What’s Driving Chicken Salad Chick’s Midwest Growth Strategy in 2025?

Chicken Salad Chick’s decision to expand into Minneapolis is not merely a geographic play—it is a targeted market penetration strategy aligned with strong economic signals and evolving consumer behavior across the Midwest. With 288 locations across 20 states as of mid-2025, the brand is already a dominant player in the Southeast and is actively leveraging that success to capture market share in northern regions where fast-casual specialization remains relatively untapped.

From a macroeconomic perspective, the Midwest is witnessing renewed urban migration, increased consumer spending on quick-service dining, and stronger post-pandemic recovery in suburban areas. These trends have created ripe conditions for high-quality, community-integrated fast-casual offerings like Chicken Salad Chick. According to 2024 consumer foodservice data, the Midwest showed a 9.2% YoY increase in foot traffic to fast-casual outlets, compared to the national average of 6.5%.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro, with its affluent suburbs, robust sports culture, and health-conscious middle-income demographic, offers fertile ground for Chicken Salad Chick’s core product: premium, freshly prepared chicken salad served in a welcoming, community-focused environment.

Why Is the Coffey Family an Ideal Franchise Partner for Chicken Salad Chick?

The expansion agreement is significantly enhanced by its local franchisees—the Coffey family—whose name carries weight across Minnesota thanks to decades of basketball excellence and civic engagement. Richard Coffey, a former University of Minnesota and Minnesota Timberwolves player, is joined by his children—Sydney, Nia, and Amir—who each boast collegiate and professional basketball achievements, with Nia currently entering her ninth season in the WNBA.

This familial partnership is not a superficial endorsement deal but a hands-on business initiative. Richard transitioned from professional sports into sales and nonprofit leadership. Sheba Coffey, his wife, has professional expertise spanning education, real estate, and business development. Their daughters Sydney and Nia, both seasoned in leadership and public engagement, are relocating to Minneapolis to help run the operations. Amir Coffey, currently active in the professional basketball circuit, brings name recognition and deep community ties, serving as a cultural bridge to younger demographics.

The Coffey family’s entry into the franchise business aligns with a rising trend in athlete entrepreneurship, where second careers are increasingly defined by meaningful, scalable investments in community-oriented business models. Their selection of Chicken Salad Chick stems from alignment on mission and values—particularly the brand’s emphasis on service, simplicity, and Southern hospitality.

Their public profiles will not only amplify awareness during the initial launch but will help embed the restaurants as trusted neighborhood staples, drawing in loyalists both for the food and the familiar faces.

How Does Chicken Salad Chick Compare to Industry Peers in 2025?

Although Chicken Salad Chick remains privately held, it has built franchise economics that rival some of the top publicly traded fast-casual brands. The company reported over $400 million in systemwide sales in 2024, a 56% increase from 2021, reflecting aggressive but well-managed expansion. The Average Unit Volume (AUV) rose to $1.48 million, a metric that places it above competitors like Zaxby’s and on par with segments of Panera Bread’s café model.

The company also experienced a 13% increase in total store count year-over-year. For a niche, single-product-focused brand, these figures are significant—underscoring the scalable appeal of Chicken Salad Chick’s menu, which is rooted in 12 core chicken salad flavors, complemented by soups, sides, and desserts.

Chicken Salad Chick was recently ranked #3 in Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers and appeared at position 177 in Franchise Times’ Top 400 rankings. Additionally, the brand was recognized by QSR Magazine as one of the “Best Franchise Deals” for four consecutive years, indicating robust franchisee satisfaction and ROI potential.

With key target markets including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and West Virginia, Chicken Salad Chick is actively pursuing a multi-regional expansion model similar to larger players like MOD Pizza and Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG), but with a stronger emphasis on franchising versus corporate-owned growth.

What Is the Sentiment Around Chicken Salad Chick’s Expansion?

Investor sentiment in the broader restaurant and hospitality industry has turned cautiously optimistic in 2025. Following volatile years impacted by inflation, labor shortages, and COVID-19 aftershocks, there is growing confidence in asset-light franchise models that promise consistent returns with low capital intensity. Private equity funds have increasingly funneled resources into multi-unit franchise platforms, especially in high-margin categories like premium fast-casual.

While Chicken Salad Chick does not trade publicly and therefore lacks a direct stock price signal, institutional franchise aggregators and regional real estate investors have shown keen interest in the brand’s predictable growth curve. Analysts covering the food franchise sector have described Chicken Salad Chick as “a textbook example of localized, values-driven scalability.”

Franchise consultants also point out that the Minneapolis launch backed by the Coffey family serves as a high-visibility “proof of concept” for potential partners in adjacent states like Wisconsin and Iowa. The move is expected to generate considerable inbound franchise interest and could potentially spur competitive responses from other niche fast-casual players seeking first-mover advantage in the Midwest.

Will the Coffey Family Expansion Influence Future Chicken Salad Chick Growth?

The significance of the Coffey family’s involvement stretches beyond the Minneapolis footprint. Their franchise could act as a catalyst for a broader wave of athlete-led franchise investment, particularly among retired or late-career professionals seeking community-driven legacy ventures.

Moreover, Chicken Salad Chick’s ability to secure a ten-location agreement with a high-profile local family supports its reputation for strong franchisee relations and low turnover. The company’s franchise development team, led by VP Mark Verges, has reiterated its commitment to “partnerships with community-first entrepreneurs” as a guiding principle of their national growth roadmap.

Early indicators suggest that the Coffey locations will integrate philanthropic initiatives, youth mentorship programs, and sports scholarships—adding a social impact dimension to the business model that aligns with Gen Z and millennial consumer values.

What Can the Market Expect Next from Chicken Salad Chick?

Looking ahead, Chicken Salad Chick is expected to continue leveraging franchise partnerships to scale in underserved yet demographically aligned regions. While there’s no confirmation of a public listing in the near future, analysts believe the brand could be an attractive IPO candidate if macro conditions remain stable and AUV growth continues its upward trend.

With its consistent operational metrics, strong brand loyalty, and growing cultural cachet, the company stands poised to challenge legacy chains across multiple regions. Analysts also forecast continued M&A activity in the sector, and Chicken Salad Chick—with its disciplined model and expanding footprint—could be a potential acquirer or acquisition target by a larger QSR conglomerate.

In summary, Chicken Salad Chick’s expansion into Minneapolis—anchored by the influential Coffey family—is more than just a regional play. It’s a blueprint for how values-driven, localized franchise growth can redefine national expansion in the fast-casual space. This franchise agreement reflects a confluence of strategic foresight, economic momentum, and community authenticity, making it one of the most closely watched developments in the sector this year.