LA’s Own Healthy Deli Locali Targets National Expansion With New Franchise Deal

Healthy-eating Los Angeles deli and market chain Locali is set to expand in a big way, launching a franchise effort with the same company that previously helped Qdoba and Five Guys earn national attention. That company, Fransmart, is onboard for the quick-service healthy food model, and apparently envisions a bright future for Locali.

The move for co-founder Melissa Rosen to partner with Fransmart has been a long time coming. Locali first opened in 2009 in Hollywood and expanded in 2014 to Venice to help tackle the mostly vegan quick-service market on the Westside. The company also owns similar side-concept Localita & The Badasserie, with a storefront in Downtown, but has always set sights on getting much, much bigger.

Beyond those existing LA-area storefronts, Rosen tells Eater that a new Locali is opening up at 8730 Santa Monica Boulevard soon, with a Localita & The Badasserie possibly coming to York Boulevard in Highland Park by 2018 as well.

As for the franchising, Fransmart has eyes on a big national (and possibly international) expansion, similar to what local powerhouse Dog Haus has managed to pull off. And with a low-footprint, healthy ethos, and quick-service employee-to-customer ratio, the jump to become a national player could work well for Locali just about anywhere.

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