Freshii Plans Bigger Chicago Footprint

The “healthy-focused” quick-service chain that broke into the Chicago market in 2008, will open as many as six new locations in the area by the end of the year. Freshii currently has 29 stores in the city and its suburbs. Its expansion will aim for a variety of formats, including stand-alone stores and grab-and-go outlets inside Target and Walgreens stores. The chain is tweaking its largely customizable menu to offer more grab-and-go options; although about half of sales currently come from custom-made items like salads and wraps, Freshii is expanding the grab-and-go counter concept to flagship stores in Miami and Boston. As in Chicago, it’s hoped those items will serve as a base for expansion into stadiums and airports and make it competitive with chains like Pret A Manger