The Roots Natural Kitchen Expansion Story

The Roots Natural Kitchen Expansion Story

From Business Inspires by Tri-Village Chamber Partnership

November 11, 2025 · 36 min · Season 7 · Episode 99

About this episode

The episode explores the expansion story of Roots Natural Kitchen and its impact on community and culture.

Building Culture and Community Through Fast Casual Natural Food at Roots We’re excited to share the story behind Roots Natural Kitchen , the fast-casual restaurant making waves with its radically accessible, natural food. We sit down with Henry Borgeson, CEO of Roots, to explore how the brand grew from a single college-town eatery in 2015 to a mission-driven company with over 16 locations and a team of more than 750 employees. Henry shares how a group of UVA students teamed up with local chefs to create the kind of restaurant they—and their university community—craved: a place where great-tasting, wholesome food didn’t have to be complicated or inaccessible. We discuss Roots’ unique philosophy of combining bold flavors with simplicity, the behind-the-scenes technology and menu innovations driving their rapid growth, and how they’re building a culture rooted in empathy, resilience, and humility. From catering for major Columbus events to cultivating community partnerships and expanding across the Midwest, hear how Roots keeps authenticity at its core while meeting customers—quite literally—where they are (yes, including drive-thrus!). Whether you’re a health-conscious foodie…

People in this episode

Guest: Henry Borgeson

Topics covered

  • restaurant expansion
  • natural food
  • community building
  • entrepreneurship
  • company culture

Keywords

  • fast-casual
  • natural food
  • restaurant growth
  • community partnerships
  • health-conscious

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Roots Natural Kitchen, UVA

Places: Columbus, Midwest

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