PRESS & MEDIA INQUIRIES
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FEATURED PRESS
MARCH. 02, 2021
Meet The Man Who Wants To Build The Plant-Based McDonald’s Of The Future
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
Crisp & Green Inks Largest Multi-Unit Deal in Company History -
OCTOBER 17, 2019
How former fitness exec is using free workouts to build a fast-casual brand
SEPTEMBER 27, 2021
Meet the entrepreneur planning to build the 'McDonald's' of plant-based burgers
MARCH 14, 2014
Cover story: Steele after Steele
OCTBER 19, 2021
Man Of Steele: Meet The Healthy Fast-Food Entrepreneur
MAY 20, 2022
Steele Smiley is Out to Reinvent Fast Food
MARCH 11, 2020
Scaling restaurants with zero venture capital | Crisp & Green’s plant based success.
OCTOBER 12, 2020
Minnesota’s Most Popular Fast Casual Health Food Chain Expands Nationally
FEBRUARY 9, 2022
Health, Wellness & More: Getting To Know Entrepreneur Steele Smiley
JUNE 24, 2021
QSR June Issue: What Wellness Means Now For Restaurants
April 29, 2021
Crisp & Green owner Steele Smiley discusses new concept: Stalk & Spade
AUGUST 29, 2022
An Expert Shares Tips On How To Stay Healthy While Travelingpodcnterview from QSR mag
APRIL 09, 2021
Crisp & Green's Founder on the Health Food Concept's Big Pandemic Success
OCTOBER 01, 2021
Why Crisp & Green founder sees business magic on Wayzata's Lake Street
MAY 5, 2023
PODCAST: Steele Smiley of Steele Brands on Moving from Fitness to Restaurants
2024
RESTAURANT BUSINESS | The 2024 FUTURE 50
DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE | Crisp & Green Opens in Duluth
VERDICT FOOD SERVICE | Crisp & Green Set to Open 20th Restaurant in Minnesota
YAHOO! FINANCE | Crisp & Green Set to Open 20th Restaurant in Minnesota
STAR TRIBUNE | New Restaurant Openings in the Twin Cities
ABC | WDIO Television | Crisp & Green to Open in Duluth
BUILDING INDIANA | Crisp & Green Brings Fast-Casual Dining Location to Evansville
QSR MAGAZINE | Crisp & Green Signs 5-Unit Deal in Iowa
RESTAURANT BUSINESS | The 10 Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains
RESTAURANT BUSINESS | A Breakout Year for Salad
EAT THIS NOT THAT | 10 Fast Growing Salad Chains You’re About to See Everywhere
GM TODAY | CRISP & GREEN Expands Midwest Presence with 11 New Locations
FRANCHISING.COM | CRISP & GREEN Expands Midwest Presence with 11 New Locations
KULR-TV 8, BILLINGS | CRISP & GREEN, New Restaurant Now Open in Billings
PRODUCE BLUE BOOK | CRISP & GREEN to Expand with 11 Midwest Locations
FRESH PLAZA | 11 New Locations: CRISP & GREEN Expands Midwest Presence
VERDICT FOOD SERVICE | CRISP & GREEN to Add 11 Locations in Chicagoland, US
GLOBAL DATA | CRISP & GREEN to Add 11 Locations in Chicagoland, US
EAT THIS, NOT THAT! | Booming Salad Chain Adds 11 More Stores to its Ambitious Growth Plans
YAHOO! FINANCE | CRISP & GREEN Expands Midwest Presence with 11 New Locations
MILWAUKEE BUSINESS NEWS | Minnesota-based CRISP & GREEN to open locations in Waukesha, New Berlin
CHAIN STORE AGE | Healthy Fast-Casual Chain to Grow in Chicago, Milwaukee
PR NEWSWIRE | CRISP & GREEN Expands Midwest Presence with 11 New Locations
2023
RESTAURANT BUSINESS | The Future 50
QSR | QSR’s Best Franchise Deals: 2023 Edition
RESTAURANT NEWS | Crisp & Green Makes Debut in Illinois
HOSPITALITY TECHNOLOGY | HT Talks Tech with Crisp & Green
GLOBE STREET | Steele Brands Riding Wave of Fast Casual Expansion Nationwide
FAST CASUAL | Crisp & Green on Quest to Open Open 130 Units by 2024
ENTREPRENEUR | Steele Smiley of Steele Brands on Moving From Fitness to Restaurants
GRAND FORKS HERALD | Crisp & Green on Track for Fall Opening in Grand Forks
RESTAURANT DIVE | Steele Brand’s 250-unit Pipeline will Take it Nationwide
AXIOS | Crisp & Green aims to be Midwest’s Healthy Fast Food Alternative
FRANCHISE TIMES | Salad Concept Crisp & Green Set to Expand With Largest Deal Yet
HAUTE LIVING | Health, Wellness and More. Getting to Know Entrepreneur Steele Smiley
FAST CASUAL | Crisp & Green Signs 40-Unit Deal
RESTAURANT DIVE | Crisp & Green Signs Largest Deal Yet for 40 Units
QSR | Crisp & Green Signs Record 40-Unit Development Deal 40 Units
2022
UPSIZE | Finding it in Franchising
DIGITAL JOURNAL | Meet Steele Smiley, Executive Chairman and Owner of Crisp & Green
NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS | Crisp & Green is Turning Meat and Potatoes Country Into a Healthful Place
TWIN CITIES BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Steele Smiley’s Restaurant Company Gets a New CEO
QSR | Where is the Plant-Based Movement Headed Next
FOX 13 | Crisp & Green is Opening its First Location in Utah
YAHOO! NEWS | Crisp & Green is Opening in Utah
ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL | Crisp & Green Restaurant to Debut in Orlando Market This Week
QSR | Crisp & Green Announces First Utah Opening
FAST CASUAL | Steele Brands Launches Paco & Lime
QSR | Steele Brands Opens Its Third Fast Casual, Paco & Lime
BRING ME THE NEWS | Crisp & Green Owner Launches New Chain, with 12 Twin Cities Locations Planned
WORTH | 5 Most Sustainable Start-ups in 2022
FORBES | An Expert Shares Tips on How to Stay Healthy While Traveling
WOODBURY MAGAZINE | Crisp & Green Enters the Woodbury Restaurant Scene
THE STREET | This Up And Coming Restaurant is Coming for Sweetgreen’s Audience
NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD JOURNAL | Two New Fast Casual Restaurants Coming to Duffey
QSR Uncut Podcast | Steele Smiley is Out to Reinvent Fast Food
QSR | Crisp & Green Preps for Growth Into Florida
THE FOOD INSTITUTE | Inside America’s ‘First Plant-Based Fast Casual Franchise’
CBS WCCO TV | Local, Plant-Based Burger Restaurant Stalk & Spade Set to Expand Nationally
THE FOOD INSTITUTE | Crisp & Green CEO Sees ‘Amazing Runway’ for Salad Chain
CBS WCCO RADIO | Stalk & Spade Begins it’s National Rollout
TWIN CITIES BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Stalk & Spade Set for National Rollout
VEGOUT MAG | Vegan Chain Stalk & Spade to Open 12 Locations Nationwide This Year
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL | Crisp & Green Planning 10 More Stores Across Minnesota
MANKATO FREE PRESS | Fast-growing Crisp & Green Healthy Restaurant Coming to Mankato
EDINA MAGAZINE | Vegan Fast Food? Yes, it’s a Thing
DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL | CRISP & GREEN Entering Denver Market with Plans for About 20 Locations
THE FOOD INSTITUTE | As Masks Come Off, Restaurant Industry Outlook Tempered by Labor Shortages
CULTURE MAP DALLAS: Aptly Named CRISP & GREEN Restaurant Chain Tosses Salads at Rockwall
MSP MAGAZINE: Stalk & Spade Is Coming to Downtown Minneapolis
BRING ME THE NEWS: Stalk & Spade to open plant-based restaurant in Minneapolis' North Loop
2021
THE RISE TOGETHER PODCAST WITH DAVE HOLLIS | Planning Your Exits Strategically With Steele Smiley
TCB 100: The People to Know in 2022
FRANCHISE TIMES I How Vegan Restaurant Brands Tackle Supply Chain Challenges
STAR TRIBUNE | 50th and France is quickly moving on from the pandemic
STAR TRIBUNE | Why Crisp & Green founder sees business magic on Wayzata's Lake Street
OCEAN DRIVE | New Plant-Based Fast Food Restaurant Set To Open In Miami
MIAMI NEW TIMES | Stalk & Spade, Plant-Based Fast-Casual Restaurant, Is Coming to Town
BUSINESS INSIDER | Meet the entrepreneur planning to build the 'McDonald's' of plant-based burgers
INFORUM | New Crisp & Green slated to open in Fargo
BRING ME THE NEWS | Stalk & Spade opening a second location, this one in Edina
LAKE MINNETONKA MAGAZINE | Wayzata restaurant offers fast-food fare with a twist.
THE DALLAS WEEKLY | CRISP & GREEN to Open Second Location in Lakewood this Fall
NAPLES DAILY NEWS | Crisp & Green Opens This Winter
CHEDDAR NEWS | How Plant-Based Eating Benefits Your Overall Health
BY ALL MEANS, A TCB PODCAST | Steele Smiley
JUNE 2021 QSR | What Wellness Means Now for Restaurants
QSR | What Wellness Means Now for Restaurants
RESTAURANT HOSPITALITY | Meet the latest restaurant with hopes of becoming a plant-based McDonald’s
YAHOO! NEWS | The 5 best things our food writers ate this week
STAR TRIBUNE | 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities this week
FAST CASUAL | Plant-based concept founder hopes to be 'the next McDonald's'
MSP MAGAZINE | Sneak Peek: Stalk & Spade
FOX 9 | From burgers to shakes; everything at Wayzata’s newest restaurant is plant-based
YAHOO! NEWS | This New Plant-Based Chain Claims to Be the Next McDonald's
SIOUX.FALLS BUSINESS | Fast-casual, healthy-eating restaurant plans summer opening
MSN | This New Plant-Based Chain Claims to Be the Next McDonald's
EAT THIS, NOT THAT! | This New Plant-Based Chain Claims to Be the Next McDonald's
THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT OWNERS PODCAST | Going LIVE with Steele Smiley, CEO of Steele Brands
QSR MAGAZINE, APRIL 2021 | Start to Finish: What Inspires Crisp & Green Founder Steele Smiley
ORLANDO WEEKLY | Minnesota salad and grain bowl chain Crisp & Green plans expansion to Orlando
USA TODAY 10BEST | CRISP & GREEN Ranked Top 10 Fast Casual Restaurants in the Nation
ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL | Salad chain Crisp & Green plots expansion into Orlando
TAMPA BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL | Salad chain Crisp & Green plots Tampa Bay expansion
YAHOO! NEWS | The Twin Cities' "golden age" for vegan dining
YAHOO! NEWS | Vegan burger and shake restaurant by Crisp & Green coming to Wayzata
VEG NEWS | Minneapolis To Get Its First Vegan Burger Chain
FRANCHISE TIMES | Steele Smiley Launches Plant-Based Burger Franchise, Stalk & Spade
FORBES | Meet The Man Who Wants To Build The Plant-Based McDonald’s Of The Future
TWIN CITIES BUSINESS | First Plant-Based Burger Chain Set to Launch in Wayzata
TWIN CITIES BUSINESS | Salad For Dinner? Crisp & Green Expands To Meet Demand
FAST CASUAL | Crisp & Green Sees Growth Potential In Florida
PEOPLE NEWSPAPER | Health Food Restaurant Crisp & Green Opens In University Park
2020
FRANCHISE TIMES | Emerging Franchises Should Invest in Teams Early
CULTURE MAP DALLAS | Salad-loving Crisp & Green restaurant chain debuts in Dallas in big expansion
WCCO NEWS TALK 830 | Real Talk with Roshini: Crisp & Green® CEO Steele Smiley
BEST SERVED | BSP265 : Digitally Native Brand w/ Steele Smiley - Best Served Fast Ep1
SUN SAILOR | Wayzata-based Crisp & Green® planning national expansion
DALLAS VOICE | Midwest-based lifestyle brand Crisp and Green® heads to the Big D
BRING ME THE NEWS MN | Minnesota-based Crisp & Green® adds 20 locations in four states
WCCO NEWS TALK 830 | Steele Talkin' - 8 PM Hour
MODERN RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT: MRM Franchise Feed: Frictionless QDOBA and Crisp & Green Goes National
QSR | Minnesota's Crisp & Green® to Go National in Early 2021
FORBES | Minnesota’s Most Popular Fast Casual Health Food Chain Expands Nationally
FAST CASUAL | Crisp & Green® expanding nationwide
MPLS ST PAUL | How to Talk About Restaurants
FORBES | How Restaurants Are Innovating During The COVID-19 Pandemic
STAR TRIBUNE | 10 Twin Cities restaurants and food purveyors that will let you shop their pantries
STEPHANIE’S DISH | Crisp & Green® (Season 2, Episode 45)
2019
FAST CASUAL | Crisp & Green® gets ready to launch sixth Minnesota location
RESTAURANT BUSINESS | How a former fitness exec is using free workouts to build a fast-casual brand
TWIN CITIES PIONEER PRESS | Crisp & Green® adds Highland Park to its St. Paul lineup
CCX MEDIA | Maple Grove Celebrates Grand Opening of Crisp & Green®
TWIN CITIES BUSINESS | Appetite for Risk: Empire Builder Steele Smiley
FRANCHISING.COM | Crisp & Green® Replaces Former D’Amico Location On Grand Avenue
CRISP & GREEN® | replaced former D’Amico location on Grand Avenue
FRANCHISING.COM | Crisp & Green® Announces Next Location In Maple Grove, Minnesota
QSR | Crisp & Green® Signs Multi-Unit Development Deal in Minnesota
FAST CASUAL | Crisp & Green delivering more than healthful food to employees, customers
2018
STAR TRIBUNE | Smiley will franchise Crisp & Green® shops
FAST CASUAL | Minnesota-based Crisp & Green® expanding
2016
CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE | 6 Steps to International Expansion
CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE | Lift Brands’ Recipe for Growth
CLUB SOLUTIONS | Snap Fitness Signs Largest Development Deal in UK
2015
CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE | Snap Fitness Signs Four New Master Franchise Agreements
CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE | Snap Fitness Expands into Spain
CLUB INDUSTRY | Snap Fitness Clubs to Get a New Design
CLUB SOLUTIONS | Snap Fitness Unveils Brand Update Initiative
2014
STAR TRIBUNE | Snap Fitness lands deals to expand in U.K., India
CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE | 10 Tips from Steele Smiley, Lift Brands’ Chief Creative Officer
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL | Cover story: Steele after Steele
2013
FRANCHISING.COM | Brash Cash, For Steele founder, Snap's purchase is another shot in arm
STAR TRIBUNE | Snap Fitness acquires Steele Fitness boutique
TWIN CITIES BUSINESS | Steele Fitness Keeps Finding New Ways To Grow
STAR TRIBUNE | Steele Fitness and Under Armour to open co-branded stores
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL | 40 Under 40: Steele Smiley, Steele Inc.
2012
STAR TRIBUNE: Taking fitness upscale