When Adrien Desbaillets co-founded SaladStop! together with his father in 2009, the duo pretty much seized a pivotal opportunity in Singapore’s F&B landscape.
Conversations around health and wellness were gaining traction at that time, but there was just one problem: Singaporeans simply did not have many choices.
“Options for healthy meals were few and far between—not just in hawker centres but across the city-state,” recalled Adrien.
Having grown in a “vegetarian vegan” household themselves, the duo decided to fill the gap by creating a healthy fast food chain—and today, their business has expanded to 75 outlets worldwide.
Here’s what it took to grow the family-run business into a global enterprise.
Timing is everything
They say timing is everything—and the same holds true for starting a business.
Back in 2009, at the tail end of the financial crisis, conditions were ripe for entrepreneurship: rent were affordable, manpower was accessible, and the overall costs of running a business were generally lower.
When we first started [SaladStop!], we definitely saw a momentum in terms of the macroeconomic environment in Singapore.
I think things were sort of starting to look up again [after the financial crisis]. We felt that it was the right time to take on that segment of the market.
Adrien Desbaillets, co-founder of SaladStop! Group
As to how they’ve successfully expanded their presence globally, Adrien shared that they built SaladStop!’s concept “very much around a scalable model” right off the bat.
“We were very clear from the start that it had to be something that not only would get us to at least 10 to 15 stores in Singapore but would also be exportable—we went in with that mindset.”
Working “in the trenches”
But having a well-thought-out business plan doesn’t mean the journey is without its challenges.
Though the business took off within the first few months of its launch, with the profits being re-invested to build more stores, operational challenges became more pronounced as they expanded.
Within a year, SaladStop! had five outlets, but maintaining consistency in processes and quality across all locations proved to be a significant hurdle. In fact, on one occasion, their salad dressings even varied in taste and appearance across their outlets despite using the same recipes.
We were growing so quickly that for the most part, we were running a business and building the SOPs at the same time.
The team that we had was very junior, and for us, a lot of time [was spent] putting out fires—a lot of it was just kind of in the trenches and working through it.
Adrien Desbaillets, co-founder of SaladStop! Group
As a result, the business doubled down on its efforts to refine processes, investing in central kitchens as it scaled. “Things finally started falling into place as we pushed towards 10 locations,” he added.
Finding the right partner
Two years after the brand’s launch, Adrien’s sister Katherine joined the family business, followed by her husband Frantz Braha a few years later. Together, they’ve played a pivotal role in driving the business’s expansion across various markets.
December 2014 was when SaladStop! first launched beyond Singapore, entering a market that Adrien noted many wouldn’t typically consider: the Philippines.
A lot of people would have assumed it would have been better to launch in more mature markets like Hong Kong or Australia.
But for us, it was a matter of finding the right partner—a strong operator who understands the city that they operate in and would be able to effectively execute our brand and systems on the ground.
Adrien Desbaillets, co-founder of SaladStop! Group
And that’s precisely what led to their growth in the country.
Adrien explained that, 10 years ago, the country had virtually no healthy food options. “At least Singapore had some options, but in the Philippines, there was literally nothing,” he shared.
“Our partner saw a huge opportunity in the market, and for us, we were fortunate enough to collaborate with a larger player who took a chance on SaladStop!.”
Today, the Philippines stands as one of SaladStop!’s largest markets, boasting over 20 outlets nationwide. The brand is also present in other key markets, including Indonesia, Thailand, and South Korea.
Adrien hopes to expand similarly in other Southeast Asian markets. “We believe that there’s an opportunity for [healthy food] in every market—it’s just about getting the timing right and finding the right partner.”
Building a multi-brand portfolio
By 2018, SaladStop! had established a presence in about eight markets. As they grew, Adrien and his family identified further opportunities within the healthy eating space, particularly in secondary cities and underserved areas of Southeast Asian capital cities.
To capitalise on them, they launched two new concepts: Heybo, which offers warm grain and rice bowls infused with local flavours, and Wooshi, a DIY maki roll brand.
“These brands are designed to expand beyond SaladStop!’s reach,” Adrien shared in a 2022 interview with CNA.
SaladStop! works well in places like Jakarta, Bali, and Ho Chi Minh City, but in cities like Surabaya and Medan, for example, it’s more challenging.
Our goal is to go deeper into these markets, and for that, we need different brands.
Adrien Desbaillets, co-founder of SaladStop! Group
“We see huge opportunities outside of Singapore”
Looking ahead, Adrien anticipates significant growth emerging from new markets—and while he still expects some continued growth in Singapore, he believes it will be at a “much slower pace” compared to other regions.
For us, 2025 will very much be centred around launching in new cities and expanding our footprint. We see huge opportunities outside [of Singapore] that we’re yet to tackle, so that’s the primary focus for us.
Adrien Desbaillets, co-founder of SaladStop! Group
He is also confident that Heybo will become the company’s major growth driver. “We’ve seen demand in cooler climates like Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea, where warm meals are key—Heybo fills that gap.”
“You might see some offshoots or virtual brands in areas where we see little pockets of opportunities, but our core focus still remains on our three brands.”
- Find out more about SaladStop! here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Singaporean startups here.
Featured Image Credit: SaladStop!