Salad bowl specialist set for first seven-figure turnover

Read more from the founder of Glasgow firm Sprigg, Tom McDermott, here:

Where is your business based?

We have two city centre shops – our original unit at 241 Ingram Street, which is for takeaway only and one in Sauchiehall Street which opened last year for sit-in and takeaway. Our third location is coming very soon… watch this space!

What does it produce/do?

The main event is our iconic customisable salad bowls. They make eating an epic dose of fresh, from-scratch, single-ingredient, whole-foods delicious and convenient. Our shops are fast and very busy during the mid-week lunch crush, but that’s how we like it. Our bowls can reshape your expectations of how flavourful, nutritious and filling a salad can be.

Mr McDermott and team (Image: Story Shop)

We throw fresh, simple ingredients together and let an incredible dressing work it all out. It’s salad,  unrefined but redefined. We  also serve  from-scratch soups, baked potatoes (people love that we do a baked sweet potato.) and coffee and drinks made by our favourite local suppliers.

To whom does it sell?

Along with our staff, our customers make Sprigg. They come from all walks of life and we love getting to know them. So many are regulars since day one.

Being city centre based, we typically cater to office workers. However, we’re passionate about our brand being humble, open, inclusive, honest and approachable. Our food suits anyone who finds it challenging to eat well while on the go. And with most of the menu being vegetarian/vegan and over 100 million possible bowl combinations, we’re popular with people who have dietary preferences or needs.

What is its turnover?

We’re on track for our first ever seven-figure year.  I’m proud of that but my mentor Sofie tells me “turnover is vanity and profit is sanity.”  I want Sprigg to make profit incidentally of being a good and ethical business aware of its responsibilities to the people who work there, its customers, its community and the environment.

How many employees?

We have 14 on the team; most are full-time and long-timers. We’ve been a Real Living Wage employer from day one.

Why did you take the plunge?

I wanted to challenge myself by becoming a complete novice again. I looked 10 years ahead and said I wanted to be able to hold myself accountable for where I was, good or bad. And why Sprigg? I wanted to provide a product that was missing from the market based on my own experiences and passion for fresh and nutritious food.

What were you doing before?

I worked in customer services, complaints and business analyst roles for high street banks. Enough said on that I think!

What do you least enjoy?

It’s rare, but if we let a customer down it hits me hard. Getting it right every time is unrealistic when we’re serving 2500 people a week but even after six years,  I expect us to try to achieve it. Whatever happens, we learn and improve –  a disappointed customer is an opportunity to get better.

What are your ambitions for the firm?

Growth whilst maintaining our high expectations around staff care, customer experience, sustainable practice, food quality and food safety.

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I will always think we could do everything better. We’re working on our sustainability credentials and revamping  our marketing, encouraging more use of our new early bird app and rewards.

 We’re also about to commence the fit-out of our third retail location and we’re growing our catering business every week.                      

What single thing would most help?

Legislative incentives and rewards for Real Living Wage employers. I believe this would drive our sector away from the minimum wage and poor staff well-being culture hospitality is known for.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?

I can’t do it all and if I try, I’m holding the business back. To be honest I’m still not great at this, I need to accept help from those who care and can help.

What was your best moment?

It’s when I’m out in Glasgow or sitting in our delivery van and I see someone walk past with a Sprigg bowl.

Mr McDermott takes time out (Image: Story Shop)

You know it’s a Sprigg from a distance and they’re always peering into their bowl to assess their choices or chatting happily to a pal who’s also holding a bowl. It sounds daft but I’m like "oh-yeah it’s real people buying Sprigg and they might actually like it".

What was your worst moment?

By the end of 2022 we were exhausted. We’d miraculously managed to survive the pandemic, and our second shop was starting to get busier. But then I rushed to open a new delivery only lunch and dinner location. Costs were rising astronomically due to inflation and I’d done very little financial forecasting and planning for the delivery only model.

We were a couple weeks away from going out of business due to severe cash flow problems. Unlike Covid, this time it was self-inflicted. But we came out the other side and we’re stronger than ever.

How do you relax?

My fiancee Fiona will tell you I’m not great at relaxing! My young family has replaced Sprigg as my world and main passion, so I love spending days off with her and the boys. Also, going out for good food and coffee with friends and family. A new escape for me is exercise — a big shout out to my good friend and personal trainer, Danny, of Two Birds Fitness, who is working hard to undo the damage I did working 90 hour weeks for a few years. Goals for this year are a sub-40 minute 10k and my first half marathon!