Mendocino Farms, colloquially shortened to Mendo, and formerly Mendocino Farms Sandwich Market,[4] is a fast casual restaurant chain based in the Western United States mainly selling sandwiches and salads. Private equity firm TPG Inc. holds a majority stake in the company.
The restaurants themselves are mainly designed by John Kim, who uses eco-friendly materials to create a country aesthetic.[5]
History
The first restaurant was opened in 2005, by the couple Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen-Del Pero.[6] Del Pero grew up in Marysville, California, where his father owned a century-old meat company. After graduating from USC, he decided to start his own food concept. After interviewing people in the industry, Del Pero started working at Sharkeez in Newport Beach, California, which was founded by his best friend's father. In 1998, he then opened Skew's, a teriyaki restaurant.