California Pizza Kitchen and FiveStar Gourmet Foods have announced a strategic partnership to launch a collection of CPK-inspired salad kits and single-serve salads for retail and foodservice. The first CPK fresh retail products are expected to launch nationwide in 2027, with broader distribution and additional innovation planned as the partnership grows.
The collaboration pairs the restaurant brand with FiveStar, the Ontario, California-based company behind the Simply Fresh brand that describes itself as North America’s largest producer of fresh single-serve foods. Products will be produced by FiveStar and carry the CPK brand alongside “Crafted by Simply Fresh.”
“Salads have been a cornerstone of CPK since the beginning, from our BBQ Chicken Chopped to our Thai Crunch,” said Michael Beacham, president of California Pizza Kitchen Global. “Bringing that creativity, bold flavor and California approach to the fresh aisle is a natural next step, and FiveStar Gourmet Foods is the right partner to help us deliver the quality our guests expect, wherever they find us.”
“This category doesn’t need another ordinary salad,” said Tal Shoshan, founder and CEO of FiveStar Gourmet Foods. “Retailers need products that give consumers a reason to come back with excitement and confidence. CPK brings something very different: a loved restaurant brand known for delicious, creative food.”
Other categories to explore
While launching with salads, the partners plan to explore refrigerated prepared foods, dressings and other categories. The strategy complements CPK’s previously announced plan to expand its frozen offerings beyond pizza into appetizers and entrees, along with the deployment of up to 1,000 automated retail kiosks in airports, universities, hospitals and other high-traffic locations over the next three years.
Founded in 1985, CPK operates restaurants in 25 U.S. states and nine countries and territories, and its brand has been in the frozen pizza aisle for more than 25 years, along with branded salad dressings and noodle sauces. Founded in 1998, FiveStar manufactures fresh salads, bowls, snacks, meals and sauces for retail, club and foodservice customers nationwide.