Salata Salad Kitchen, a Texas-based fast/casual restaurant, is expanding into New Mexico and, more specifically, Rio Rancho.

“Rio Rancho (like most of America) is under-served when it comes to healthy restaurant options and we just wanted to change that,” Vice President of Franchise Development Julie Davis said.

Salata, which was established in 2005, serves salads and wraps that are built-to-order.

It has 90 corporate-owned and franchise locations in Texas, Georgia, Southern California, Louisiana and North Carolina.

According to Davis, everything is customizable.

Rather than remove items they don’t like, customers can have it made exactly how they want it made.

Its main goal isn’t to help customers lose weight or achieve a health goal, but to make healthy eating more accessible by providing familiar fresh ingredients, delicious homemade dressings, and a welcoming environment.

“Salata holds seminars for people who want to get on top of their nutrition,” Davis said.

Davis says Salata is a small business but she feels comfortable working with the president of the company, Michelle Bythewood.

The restaurant will establish itself in New Mexico sometime next year.

Here is a link to the website.