Garden Fresh Teams with Gold Coast Packing for Retail Program

SAN DIEGO, July 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. has signed a licensing arrangement with Gold Coast Packing, a long-term supply partner, to bring certain Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes favorites to club stores and supermarkets. Beginning this month, customers in select Western U.S. markets will be able to bring home such popular items as the Lemon Broccoli Madness salad kit, in addition to the original Joan's Broccoli Madness salad kit.

"We wanted to offer another way for our loyal guests to enjoy the salads and other wholesome products they enjoy at Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes, and a chance for those who haven't visited our restaurants to taste what they've been missing," said David Goronkin, CEO of Garden Fresh Corp. "Gold Coast is a first class partner with tremendous foodservice and retail produce experience. We're proud to work with them to expand our retail business."

The salad kits are initially available at Club stores in Southern and Northern California as well as in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Texas. Additional salad kits and other produce items will be introduced over the next several months.

"We're excited to kick off another chapter in what has been a great relationship with Garden Fresh," said John Schaefer, Vice President and General Manager of Gold Coast, a Santa Maria, CA-based produce grower and packer.  "There is tremendous long-term potential to provide Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes produce kits to various retailers."

About Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes

Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes provides wholesome, create-your-own dining experiences featuring an abundant choice of fresh and craveable soups, salads and baked goods at an everyday value. Passionately serving families, friends and their communities for more than 30 years, the restaurants are known for their farm-fresh seasonal ingredients, made-from-scratch tossed salads and soups, and freshly baked muffins, focaccias and cookies, all offered at a single fixed price. Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes owns and operates 128 restaurants across the western, southern and eastern U.S., each offering guests the freedom to customize a delicious meal to their personal choice. For more information, visit www.souplantation.com or www.sweettomatoes.com.

About Gold Coast Packing

Gold Coast Packing, Inc. is a grower, shipper, and processor, of fresh broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, spinach, and other fresh vegetables. Founded in 1978 as a western vegetable and strawberry grower/shipper, the company launched its value-added division in 1989 in response to growing consumer needs. For more information visit www.goldcoastpack.com.

SOURCE Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes