LIVE CRISP. That's the slogan of Crisp & Green, a Minnesota-founded health food franchise that has rapidly grown over less than a decade, now with hundreds of locations open and in progress. (Photos via Facebook)

Minnesota-founded health food franchise Crisp & Green, popular for its salad and grain bowls, smoothies, and acai bowls, stirred up a rumor it could be expanding its reach much closer to our slice of the Midwest – right here in Eau Claire.

Thanks to a Facebook comments exchange on Crisp & Green’s page on Thursday, Dec. 28, online chatter spread of the possible expansion.

Dec. 28 Facebook exchange.

Crisp & Green first launched in 2016 in Wayzata with a second location opening in Minneapolis’s North Loop less than five months later, and by early 2018, began franchising. In 2020, Crisp & Green tripled its size by nationally expanding with locations in Texas, Florida, Iowa, and others. It now has more than 200 locations open and in development.

After inquiring, the Crisp & Green team told us an Eau Claire location is slated to open sometime in 2025, with more details to come in the new year.

If Crisp & Green’s offerings feel familiar to the Chippewa Valley foodie scene, that may be because of the recently closed Fast Fuel locations that once graced downtown Eau Claire. Starting out as a fresh-pressed juice and on-the-go healthy snack joint in Banbury Place, Fast Fuel then expanded into a burrito and bowl location on Water Street at the start of 2023. However, this fall Fast Fuel announced it would close both locations.

Despite its closure, Fast Fuel demonstrated there was a local market for healthier meal and snack options amid the Valley’s beer-and-burger joints.

Crisp & Green’s signature salads and grain bowls – varieties including the LTO! Honey Spice & Everything Nice, Chicken Bacon Ranch, The Bold & The Buffalo, and more – average around the $13 mark, though its build-your-own option starts at $8.95.

If you’re itchin’ to try out Crisp & Green before then, you won’t have to travel too far to find the nearest one: Hudson is welcoming its own location in the new year at 901 Pearson Drive. A grand opening in Hudson is slated for 10:30am-1:30pm Saturday, Jan. 6, with complimentary meals to those who check out the new eatery.

Mankato, Minnesota, location pictured.

Keep up with Crisp & Green on Facebook and learn more about the eatery on its website.