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is going after massive fast-food chains with its platform that scales better-for-you, digitally native quick-service restaurant (QSR) brands. The Los Angeles-based company gobbled up $4 million in seed funding to continue building brands.

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Salted鈥檚 platform enables digital-first restaurants to scale while maintaining product consistency and quality for both delivery and takeout dining through its proprietary 鈥渋ntelligent kitchens鈥� software that combines data entry and camera technology to gather insights around order accuracy and preparation, as well as provide recommendations to kitchen teams in real time.

鈥淲e like to say we are the for the digital age,鈥� , Salted founder and CEO, told 萝莉视频 News. 鈥淲e are in a unique position to build brands that are as ubiquitous, and for customers who cares about the quality of food they are putting in their body.鈥�

. led the investment and was joined by , , and . Since Salted was founded in 2014, it has raised a couple of small rounds previously to make its total funding $9 million, Appelbaum said.

, partner at Craft Ventures, is also based in Los Angeles and had met Appelbaum a few years ago.

鈥淗e has a reputation for being a top operator,鈥� Tam said in an interview. 鈥淲e were early investors in cloud kitchens and saw this opportunity early on; the same opportunity that Salted is embracing for virtual brands.鈥�

Since Salted was founded seven years ago, it鈥檚 had a few iterations, including an online cooking school. The focus on providing healthy QSRs and going after the came about three years ago, Appelbaum said.

The new funding will be used to fuel that growth, as well as invest in technology. He expects to be in 80 more locations, such as Florida, by the end of 2022. Appelbaum is also going into markets that don鈥檛 traditionally have access to healthier foods.

鈥淲hat is more exciting is getting into markets where healthy options right now are a salad at or a sandwich,鈥� he added.

The company鈥檚 brands include moonbowls, Califlower Pizza and lulubowls, serving everything from cultural cuisine to pizza and salads. They are serving food in 17 locations, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio 鈥� Salted鈥檚 fastest market to hit a $1 million run rate, according to Appelbaum 鈥� through 500 storefronts.

Appelbaum says the next steps come down to expansion by 鈥減utting our foot on the gas pedal 10x-ing everything we are doing,鈥� he said. That includes continuing to make brands that go from regional favorites to national household brands.

Additionally, Salted launched its first brick-and-mortar storefront, under its moonbowls brand, in Los Angeles earlier this year, Appelbaum said.

鈥淲e saw an opportunity to build those brands, the data and technology, and it became a matter of copy and paste,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e plan to open more kitchens and launch more brands. We鈥檝e grown 150 percent since last year, doubled our locations and have strong growth in each location.鈥�

Feature photo of moonbowls and inset screenshot courtesy of Salted.
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