This profile of Mandy’s Salads’ Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe is part of Street Meet, FLEETSTREET’s series, where we meet up with trailblazers and thought leaders to deliver unique insight and inspiration into issues we all care about.
I’m a salad fan. For me, a good bowl really hits the spot. But if you’ve ever found your fork pushing around droopy lettuce, craving something with a bit more zing, then Mandy’s Salads is about to become your salad sanctuary. That’s right, founders Mandy and Rebecca (Becca) Wolfe took boredom off the menu.
Mandy’s recently celebrated the grand opening of its flagship store in Yorkville, at 110 Bloor Street West in Toronto. Its latest venture is its eleventh location in Canada and third in Toronto. I caught up with the Wolfe sisters to talk about all things business and, of course, gourmet and bougie salads.
Why plant-based meat tastes so good.
FLEETSTREET: Can you tell me a bit about your backstory and how you got started?
Mandy Wolfe: We started in 2004 in a lovely residential and commercial part of Montreal called Westmount, in the back of an Italian clothing store called Mimi & Coco. We started very small, with less than 400 square feet, no marketing, no sign, and no professional experience in the restaurant business whatsoever. Becca had been studying in NYC and saw salad joints popping up all over the place with lineups down the street. When she came back to Montreal, she convinced me to start something similar. There was nothing like it here. Becca designed the space, and I came up with the menu. It was perfect timing – no hot food could be prepared in the clothing store, and we had a great demographic to serve healthy food for – at the time it was mostly women on the go.
Montreal guide: the best (& healthiest) places to work out, chill, eat & more.
FS: And where did you get inspiration for the aesthetic and decor of Mandy’s venues?
MW: Becca has always had a flair for exceptional design and style. She often incorporates elements of her international travel into her wardrobe, home and artwork. And our restaurants have the same colourful, tropical, whimsical look. From palm trees to Parisian tiles to Bahamian art – every restaurant is a cross-section of patterns, colours and energies from around the world.
FS: What’s it like owning 11 locations? Any plans to expand out of Ontario and Quebec?
MW: It’s incredible. We couldn’t have done it without the help of our ever-growing team of executives and front-line workers and managers. Every member of our salad team plays a pivotal role in making sure operations run smoothly, the food is consistent and the [staff’s] energy is high and positive. We love being able to serve so many people, and our dream is to keep doing this. Why not be able to get a healthy tasty meal on the go wherever you are in Canada, the US and internationally? We all love a great salad. But let’s be honest, sometimes it’s a pain to make at home, so we’ll happily make it for you.
Jaybird Toronto review: we wing it at the Yorkville & Queen locations.
FS: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced running your business?
Rebecca Wolfe: Growth and scalability. When we were small with two locations, [where] we controlled everything. But, to grow, you have to delegate. People are so complicated, and not everyone’s motives are good. We’re better at hiring and keeping those with hearts of gold, real team spirit, flexibility, collaboration. Those people who are truly inspiring and empowering. Even though we’re in the food business, it always comes down to people.
FS: What advice would you give to your younger self?
RW: We always stuck to making exceptional food in unique and imaginative spaces, but how we did that and grew has changed and morphed so much over the 20 years of business. No one knew that third-party delivery would be the majority of your business in 2010, so we had to adapt. Stay true to your vision but allow some space to flow where the guiding energy leads you.
MW: You can plan as much as you want, but we were all born with two ears, two eyes and one mouth, which means you must constantly watch and listen. Observe what’s happening locally and globally, and adapt your plan as needed. If you’re too rigid or inflexible, you might be hell-bent on a path that no one else is supporting you on.
Blend it like Bieber: The Erewhon strawberry glaze skin smoothie recipe.
FS: What else do you have planned?
RW: We’d love to take our concept to the road, looking into a drive-thru model, growing the brand into western Canada, and finalizing more restaurants in Montreal and Toronto. Also, more dressings, marinades and cookies are coming your way in grocery stores.