La Salsa

{{short description|Chain of American fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurants}}

{{about|the U.S.-based Tex-Mex restaurant chain|the Australia-based Tex-Mex restaurant chain|Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill||Salsa (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox company

| name = La Salsa

| trade_name = La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill

| logo = La Salsa logo.svg

| logo_caption =

| image =

| image_caption =

| type = Subsidiary

| traded_as =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| founder = Howdy Kabrins

| defunct =

| fate =

| area_served = California plus Las Vegas

| key_people =

| industry = Restaurant

| products = Mexican-style fast casual food

| production =

| services =

| revenue =

| operating_income =

| net_income =

| assets =

| equity =

| owner = Kahala Brands

| num_employees =

| parent = MTY Food Group

| divisions =

| subsid =

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.lasalsa.com/}}

| footnotes =

| intl =

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1979}}
Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| location_city = Scottsdale, Arizona

| location_country = U.S. (2016–present)

| locations = {{ublist|5 (August 2024)|23 (September 2016)|98 (June 1999)}}

}}

La Salsa is a chain of fast-casual Tex Mex restaurants founded in Los Angeles, California in 1979, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona and is owned by Canadian franchisor MTY Food Group.{{cite news |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fresh-728471-baja-mex.html |title=Irvine owner of Baja Fresh sold for $27 million to restaurant company tied to Pinkberry |newspaper=Orange County Register |date=2016-09-12 |access-date=2016-10-20 |first=Nancy |last=Luna}} The chain emphasizes fresh ingredients, and each restaurant features a self-serve salsa bar.

La Salsa has been closely associated with its sister company Baja Fresh, which purchased the company from CKE Restaurants in 2007. Since then, the companies have shared their corporate headquarters.

In 2016, MTY acquired La Salsa with its sister company Baja Fresh and is current being managed by MTYs Kahala Brands division. At the time of the acquisition, the chain operated 23 restaurants in the United States, most of which are franchised.

Under MTY, the number of locations has since dwindled down to five locations by August 2024.

History

The La Salsa restaurant chain was founded in 1979 by Howdy Kabrins as a single location at the corner of Pico and Sepulveda boulevards in West Los Angeles.{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF50CAA0140D0D3&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=La Salsa Favorites Are Black And Blue And Popular All Over |newspaper=Los Angeles Daily News |date=February 5, 1986 |page=16 |first=Larry |last=Lipson |url-access=subscription |quote=Howdy Kabrins created his first La Salsa in 1979 on Pico and Sepulveda boulevards in West Los Angeles. He recently chose the San Fernando Valley for his sixth one, with the debut of La Salsa on the busy corner of Roscoe and Sepulveda boulevards in Van Nuys... La Salsa, 8267 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys... Other locations in Westwood, West Los Angeles, Marina del Rey, Beverly Hills and Newport Beach. Future outlets planned in San Diego, Glendale and elsewhere.}} By 1986, there were six locations, all within Los Angeles County.

The first mentioned of La Salsa being in Orange County was in an article that showed that La Salsa was at the MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana when the mall first opened in August 1986.{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=OCRB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF3C5070B78FB1&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Ready, set, shop: What you'll find at MainPlace |newspaper=Orange County Register |date=September 25, 1987 |page=J06 |author= |url-access=subscription}}

The first San Diego area location was opened in Horton Plaza in August 1985.{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SDUB&p_theme=sdub&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=117928CAE970486D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=An international choice of food at new Horton Plaza |newspaper=San Diego Union Tribune |date=August 8, 1985 |pages=DOWNTOWN-35 |first=Leslie |last=James |url-access=subscription |quote=No one is likely to go hungry at the new Horton Plaza complex... Grazing will be grand with the likes of Boudin's Sourdough Bakery, Mrs. Fields Cookies, Pogo Pizza, Robin Rose Ice Cream (a Venice, Calif.-based shop peddling outrageously rich and flavorful ice cream), La Salsa Mexican eats, Everything Yogurt, Hot Dog on a Stick and Boardwalk Fries.}}

After expanding the La Salsa chain throughout Southern California, Kabrins sold control of the company to a consortium that included Sienna Holding and InterWest Partners in June 1992.{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SDUB&p_theme=sdub&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=116C443389E810E4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Founder of La Salsa now main franchisee |newspaper=San Diego Union Tribune |date=August 6, 1994 |pages=C-1 |first=Rod |last=Riggs |url-access=subscription |quote=Howdy Kabrins, who founded the La Salsa taqueria chain 15 years ago, has spent $1 million to become the company's largest franchisee. Kabrins bought five of La Salsa's 12 locations in San Diego County, plus sites in Costa Mesa, Malibu and Montebello. Kabrins opened the first La Salsa in Los Angeles in 1979. By 1987, the company owned 10 outlets in Southern California and began franchising. La Salsa came to San Diego in 1988 when it acquired five former El Pollo Loco sites. In 1992, Kabrins sold control of La Salsa Inc. to Sienna Holding of San Francisco and InterWest Partners of Menlo Park in what he calls a recapitalization. Terms were not disclosed. Adding 10 units in 1993, La Salsa Inc. grew to 21 company-owned and 22 franchised outlets with about $25 million in sales.}}{{cite press release |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/LA+SALSA+MEXICAN+RESTAURANTS+COMPLETES+GROWTH+FINANCING-a012358285 |title=La Salsa Mexican Restaurants Completes Growth Financing |work=PR Newswire |date=June 23, 1992 |author= |via=The Free Library}}

La Salsa opened their first Northern California location, the 38th in the chain, in Sacramento in 1993.{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SB&p_theme=sb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB0DA762E7B6F11&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=New Players Come to Capital |newspaper=Sacramento Bee |date=October 17, 1993 |page=E1 |author= |url-access=subscription |quote=La Salsa sells fresh, healthy and authentic Mexican food, much of it low in fat, sodium and cholesterol. The first restaurant opened in Los Angeles in 1979 and Sacramento will be the 38th La Salsa. Headquarters are in Los Angeles and most of the restaurants are in Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange counties.}}

In July 1999, Santa Barbara Restaurant Group acquired La Salsa via a stock swap.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jun-09-fi-45563-story.html |title=Green Burrito Parent to Acquire La Salsa: Santa Barbara Restaurant Group will buy rival chain. Value of sale is not disclosed. |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=June 9, 1999 |first=Greg |last=Hernandez |quote=La Salsa is a privately held company based in Santa Monica that owns 50 La Salsa eateries and has franchised 48 others.}} At the time of the acquisition, La Salsa had 98 locations throughout the United States, 48 of which were franchised.

CKE Restaurants obtained La Salsa in March 2002 when it acquired its then parent company, Santa Barbara Restaurant Group.{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cke-restaurants-inc-and-santa-barbara-restaurant-group-inc-announce-the-signing-of-a-letter-of-intent-for-cke-restaurants-to-acquire-santa-barbara-restaurant-group-74318387.html |title=CKE Restaurants, Inc. and Santa Barbara Restaurant Group, Inc. Announce The Signing of a Letter of Intent for CKE Restaurants To Acquire Santa Barbara Restaurant Group |work=PR Newswire |date=November 19, 2001 |author=}}{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cke-restaurants-inc-and-santa-barbara-restaurant-group-inc-set-to-close-merger-76219927.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820155709/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cke-restaurants-inc-and-santa-barbara-restaurant-group-inc-set-to-close-merger-76219927.html |archive-date=2017-08-20 |url-status=dead |title=CKE Restaurants, Inc. and Santa Barbara Restaurant Group, Inc. Set to Close Merger (Press release) |work=PR Newswire |date=February 28, 2002 |author=}}

Baja Fresh

In 2007, CKE Restaurants sold La Salsa to Baja Fresh for an undisclosed amount.{{cite news |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/salsa-9083-fresh-kim.html |title=Anaheim investor to buy La Salsa |newspaper=Orange County Register |date=May 29, 2007 |first=Nancy |last=Luna |quote=CKE Restaurants is selling its 96-unit La Salsa chain to Baja Fresh, whose key owner is from Orange County... The chain had grown to 90 units when CKE Restaurants acquired it from Santa Barbara Restaurant Group in a $54 million all-stock deal in 2002.}}{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cke-restaurants-inc-announces-sale-of-la-salsa-fresh-mexican-grillr-restaurants-58679767.html |title=CKE Restaurants, Inc. Announces Sale of La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill(R) Restaurants |work=PR Newswire |date=May 29, 2007 |author=}} At the time of the sale, La Salsa had over 100 locations in approximately a dozen states.

In September 2016, it was announced that Baja Fresh's parent, BF Acquisition Holdings, was sold to MTY Food Group for $27 million. At the time of the acquisition by MTY, Baja Fresh had 162 restaurants and its sister company La Salsa had 23 restaurants; 16 of the combined 185 locations were franchised. It is unclear if the new owner would combine the two chains or keep them separate. In an earlier press release announcing MTY's acquisition of Kahala Brands just two months previously, MTY gave the vague statement that "Kahala will stay in Kahala's current headquarters... while MTY's US operations will move into Kahala's offices".{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mty-completes-the-acquisition-of-kahala-brands-ltd-588307062.html |title=MTY Completes the Acquisition of Kahala Brands, Ltd. |work=PR Newswire |date=July 26, 2016 |author= |quote=The operations of Kahala will stay in Kahala's current headquarters, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, while MTY's US operations will move into Kahala's offices. Mr. Jeff Smit, Kahala's Chief Operating Officer, will be leading the US operations of the combined entity.}}

By July 2017, La Salsa had 21 restaurants, with 12 in California, 3 in Nevada (Las Vegas), 2 in Arizona (Tucson), 2 in Texas, plus one each in Indiana and Missouri.{{cite web |url=http://lasalsa.com/sitemap/ |title=Sitemap |work=La Salsa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713095544/http://lasalsa.com/sitemap/ |archive-date=2017-07-13}}

=Closures=

In June 2016, Eater Las Vegas reported the closure of one out of three La Salsa locations in Las Vegas to leave only two operating restaurants.{{cite news |url=https://vegas.eater.com/2016/6/20/11978346/la-salsa-cantina-out-at-showcase-mall |title=After 13 Years, La Salsa Cantina OUT at Showcase Mall |first=Bradley |last=Martin |date=June 20, 2016 |work=Eater Las Vegas}}

La Salsa withdrew from Arizona in 2018 when a franchisee closed both of its Tucson locations.{{cite news |url=https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/la-salsa-closes-its-two-tucson-locations |title=La Salsa closes its two Tucson locations |first=Phil |last=Villarreal |date=December 18, 2018 |work=KGUN-TV}}{{cite news |url=https://tucsonfoodie.com/2018/12/17/la-salsa-closed/ |title=All Tucson "La Salsa" Locations Now Closed |date=December 17, 2018 |first=Jackie |last=Tran |work=Tucson Foodie}}

La Salsa withdrew from the San Diego metropolitan area in 2019 by closing its sole location there.{{cite news |url=https://coronadotimes.com/news/2019/09/10/la-salsa-coronado-location-closing/ |title=La Salsa Coronado Location Closing After 30 Years |date=September 10, 2019 |newspaper=Coronado Times}}

La Salsa withdrew from Indiana in 2020 when its sole Indiana franchise that was located at the Purdue Memorial Union on the Purdue University campus was closed when the university declined to renew existing contracts when the university renovated its dining facilities.{{cite news |url=https://www.purdueexponent.org/campus/collection_786d684a-b1a1-11ea-977b-5bf846fb3a79.html |title=6/18/20 PMU basement sits empty |date=June 18, 2020 |newspaper=Purdue Exponent}}

By August 2024, La Salsa was down to five locations,{{cite web |url=https://www.lasalsa.com/locator/ |title=Locations |work=La Salsa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821195534/https://www.lasalsa.com/locator/ |archive-date=2024-08-21 |url-status=dead}} three in Northern California at Mountain View,{{cite web |url=https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-mountain-view/31591 |title=La Salsa Restaurant #31591 |work=La Salsa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821192233/https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-mountain-view/31591 |archive-date=2024-08-21 |url-status=live}} San Bruno,{{cite web |url=https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-san-bruno/31596 |title=La Salsa Restaurant #31596 |work=La Salsa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821192021/https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-san-bruno/31596 |archive-date=2024-08-21 |url-status=live}} and San Leandro;{{cite web |url=https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-san-leandro/31590 |title=La Salsa Restaurant #31590 |work=La Salsa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821192330/https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-san-leandro/31590 |archive-date=2024-08-21 |url-status=live}} one in Southern California at Los Angeles;{{cite web |url=https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-los-angeles/31080 |title=La Salsa Restaurant #31080 |work=La Salsa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821192028/https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-los-angeles/31080 |archive-date=2024-08-21 |url-status=live}} and one in Nevada at Las Vegas.{{cite web |url=https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-las-vegas/31488 |title=La Salsa Restaurant #31488 |work=La Salsa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821194934/https://www.lasalsa.com/stores/mexican-food-las-vegas/31488 |archive-date=2024-08-21 |url-status=live}}