Mendocino Farms

Mendocino Farms, commonly called Mendo and formerly known as Mendocino Farms Sandwich Market, is an American fast-casual restaurant chain focused on sandwiches, salads, soups, and related prepared meals. The company operates primarily in the Western United States, with its strongest concentration in California and additional locations in markets including Texas, Arizona, Illinois, and Washington. Its format emphasizes made-to-order food, frequently changing menu selections, and a restaurant environment designed to feel more distinctive and local than a conventional quick-service unit. The brand was founded in 2005 by married partners Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen-Del Pero. Del Pero grew up in Marysville, California, in a family connected to a long-established meat business. After graduating from the University of Southern California, he gained restaurant operating experience at Sharkeez in Newport Beach and later founded Skew's, a teriyaki restaurant. He and Chen-Del Pero expanded Skew's to three locations before selling it in 2001 and applying the resulting assets to a new restaurant concept. The first Mendocino Farms opened in a roughly 900-square-foot space beneath the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. The site had previously been occupied by Starbucks, which had left the location, and the founders used the comparatively difficult space to establish a compact, design-conscious neighborhood restaurant. The chain's interiors have been associated with an informal country aesthetic and the use of eco-friendly materials; restaurant design has mainly been attributed to John Kim. Mendocino Farms pursued outside capital as it expanded. In 2010, it entered into an arrangement with L Catterton, which became an important investor. Whole Foods Market also made a smaller investment, and the first Mendocino Farms restaurant inside a Whole Foods location opened in 2016. The founders described site selection as strategic rather than relying solely on the Whole Foods relationship. In 2017, TPG Inc. acquired a majority stake from Catterton. Harald Herrmann, formerly chief executive of Yard House, was appointed chief executive after the transaction. The menu is deliberately dynamic, with the company changing offerings approximately every six to eight weeks. Its food range includes meat-based sandwiches, vegetarian and vegan options, composed salads, soups, sides, desserts, and children's meals. Examples documented among its popular offerings include Not So Fried Chicken, Chimichurri Steak & Bacon, Vegan Banh Mi, Pink Lady Beets & Goat Cheese Salad, Peruvian Steak, and Chicken Parm Dip. These items illustrate the brand's approach of combining familiar fast-casual formats with globally influenced ingredients, sauces, pickles, cheeses, and vegetable preparations. Mendocino Farms has primarily expanded through urban and suburban population centers. Its California presence has centered on Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Sacramento, and the San Francisco area. It has also operated in the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas of Texas, the Seattle area of Washington, the Phoenix area, and the Chicago area. The company has been recognized in restaurant-industry coverage, including inclusion in Nation's Restaurant News' 2013 list of 50 Hottest Emerging Concepts. The founders were also featured on the publication's 2016 Power List. Mendocino Farms remains a privately held restaurant brand backed by TPG's majority investment.

Mendocino Farms was established in 2005 by Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen-Del Pero. Del Pero's background included family ties to a long-running meat company in Marysville, California, restaurant work at Sharkeez in Newport Beach, and ownership of Skew's, a teriyaki concept that grew to three restaurants before being sold in 2001. The couple used assets from that sale to develop Mendocino Farms. The first restaurant occupied an approximately 900-square-foot space beneath the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. The location had been vacated by Starbucks and was not regarded as an obvious retail site. Mendocino Farms used the small footprint to launch a neighborhood-oriented fast-casual concept centered on sandwiches and salads. Restaurant interiors have generally been associated with an informal country-inspired look and eco-friendly materials, with design work mainly attributed to John Kim. The company began bringing in outside investment during its growth phase. In 2010, L Catterton entered into an arrangement with the business and became an important investor. Whole Foods Market also made a smaller investment. Rather than placing the brand indiscriminately throughout Whole Foods stores, the founders indicated that locations would be selected strategically. The first Mendocino Farms unit inside a Whole Foods opened in 2016. A major ownership transition occurred in 2017, when TPG Inc. bought a majority stake from Catterton. Harald Herrmann, who had previously led Yard House, was appointed chief executive after the transaction. TPG's investment left Mendocino Farms privately held while providing a larger institutional ownership platform for continued expansion. The chain's operating model combines a fast-casual service format with a frequently refreshed menu. Offerings have changed approximately every six to eight weeks, allowing the brand to rotate seasonal or limited menu items while retaining recognizable sandwich and salad categories. Documented popular dishes include Not So Fried Chicken, Chimichurri Steak & Bacon, Vegan Banh Mi, Pink Lady Beets & Goat Cheese Salad, Peruvian Steak, and Chicken Parm Dip. The menu also includes soups, sides, children's meals, vegetarian preparations, and vegan options. Mendocino Farms has concentrated its footprint in the Western United States. California markets have included Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Sacramento, and the San Francisco area. The chain has also expanded into Texas, with locations in Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, as well as the Seattle, Phoenix, and Chicago areas. Industry recognition included a place on Nation's Restaurant News' 2013 50 Hottest Emerging Concepts list and appearances by the founders on the publication's 2016 Power List. The company continues to operate as an active, privately held fast-casual restaurant brand with TPG as majority owner.

• 2017

  TPG takes majority stake

  [1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  TPG Inc. acquired a majority interest from L Catterton, followed by the appointment of Harald Herrmann as chief executive.

• 2016

  Whole Foods location opens

  [1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  The first Mendocino Farms restaurant located inside a Whole Foods Market opened after Whole Foods made a minor investment in the chain.

• 2013

  Named to 50 Hottest Emerging Concepts

  [1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  Nation's Restaurant News included Mendocino Farms in its 50 Hottest Emerging Concepts list.

• 2010

  L Catterton investment supports expansion

  [1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  The company entered an investment arrangement with L Catterton, which became an important investor in the chain.

• 2005

  First Mendocino Farms restaurant opens in Los Angeles

  [1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen-Del Pero opened the first restaurant in a small space beneath the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Mid-market, chef-inspired fast casual dining with globally influenced sandwiches and salads, frequent menu rotation, and design-led neighborhood restaurants.

• Fast-casual sandwiches · 2005

  Sandwiches

  Sandwiches are the brand's central product category, served on breads such as ciabatta, sesame rolls, and potato rolls. The menu combines roasted or marinated proteins with sauces, cheeses, pickled vegetables, slaws, herbs, and greens. Documented examples include Not So Fried Chicken, Chimichurri Steak & Bacon, Peruvian Steak, and Chicken Parm Dip.

• Vegan sandwich

  Vegan Banh Mi

  A plant-based sandwich built around organic marinated baked tofu, vegan aioli, sweet chili sauce, pickled daikon and carrots, cucumber, jalapeño, Thai basil, and cilantro. It reflects Mendocino Farms' use of internationally influenced flavors within a fast-casual sandwich format.

• Prepared salads · 2005

  Salads

  Mendocino Farms' composed salads combine greens with roasted or marinated ingredients, fruit, nuts, cheese, and house-style dressings. The documented Pink Lady Beets & Goat Cheese Salad includes beets, apples, dried cranberries, almonds, goat cheese, red onion, mixed greens, romaine, and citrus vinaigrette.

• Sides and ancillary meals · 2005

  Soups and children's meals

  Alongside its main sandwiches and salads, the chain offers soups, sides, and a children's menu. These products broaden the restaurant's appeal beyond its signature composed sandwiches and salads, although specific current selections are subject to the brand's regular menu changes.

• 2017

  TPG acquires majority stakeM&A

  Background

  Mendocino Farms was seeking to continue expanding after its relationship with L Catterton and Whole Foods.

  Action taken

  TPG Inc. purchased a majority stake from L Catterton and Harald Herrmann was appointed chief executive.

  Aftermath

  The transaction made TPG the majority owner and preserved the company as a privately held restaurant business.

  Source

• 2016

  Open a restaurant inside Whole Foods MarketStrategy

  Background

  Whole Foods Market had made a minority investment in Mendocino Farms, creating an opportunity for selected co-located restaurants.

  Action taken

  Mendocino Farms opened its first location inside a Whole Foods Market while maintaining a strategic approach to site selection.

  Aftermath

  The move extended the brand into a grocery-linked retail environment without replacing its broader standalone restaurant expansion model.

  Source

• 2010

  Accept outside investment from L CattertonM&A

  Background

  Mendocino Farms sought capital and support for expansion after establishing its initial restaurant concept.

  Action taken

  The company entered into an arrangement with L Catterton, which became an important investor.

  Aftermath

  The investment supported the chain's subsequent growth, including later development of strategically selected locations.

  Source

• Rotate menu offerings frequentlyGeneration change

  Background

  The brand differentiates its fast-casual format through a menu that changes substantially more often than a fixed quick-service menu.

  Action taken

  Mendocino Farms has consistently refreshed its menu approximately every six to eight weeks while retaining core sandwich, salad, and soup categories.

  Aftermath

  Frequent rotation has enabled the chain to present seasonal and globally influenced dishes alongside recurring popular items.

  Source

• 2017

  TPG acquires majority stake in Mendocino Farms[1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change

  TPG Inc. purchased a majority interest in Mendocino Farms from L Catterton, and Harald Herrmann became chief executive following the transaction.

• 2016

  First Mendocino Farms location opens inside Whole Foods Market[1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The chain opened its first restaurant within a Whole Foods Market location after Whole Foods made a minority investment in the business.

• 2016

  Founders featured on Nation's Restaurant News Power List[1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen-Del Pero were featured on Nation's Restaurant News' Power List.

• 2013

  Mendocino Farms recognized among emerging restaurant concepts[1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Nation's Restaurant News included Mendocino Farms in its 50 Hottest Emerging Concepts list.

• 2010

  Mendocino Farms partners with L Catterton to support expansion[1]Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Other

  Mendocino Farms entered an investment arrangement with L Catterton as it sought to expand its restaurant network.

1. 1Mendocino Farmsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Nextleaf Solutions Ltd.: Nextleaf Launches Glacial Gold Vapes and Distilled Oils Through Quebec-based Medical Cannabis Platformfinanznachrichten.de