A new campaign — anchored by documentary-style CTV and city-specific outdoor creative — brings together two New York fandoms: the guests who’ve built one of the category’s most loyal followings around Just Salad, and the fans who believed in Jalen Brunson well before everyone else did
Watch the :30 Just Salad x Jalen Brunson Ad Spot
Key facts of this press release:
- First creative campaign from Just Salad’s first-ever athlete partnership and Brunson’s first restaurant equity ownership, originally announced June 30, 2026
- Campaign launches Sept. 21, 2026, anchored by a four-week documentary-style CTV spot
- Outdoor creative runs in two versions: “Real New Yorkers Know” across New York City and Long Island, and “We Always Knew” across New Jersey and Connecticut
NEW YORK CITY, Sept. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Just Salad, the fast-casual restaurant chain committed to making everyday health and sustainability possible, launched its first creative campaign with Jalen Brunson, point guard for the New York Knicks and 2026 NBA Champion and Finals MVP. Built on the creative platform “New York Always Knew,” the campaign puts two New York fandoms side by side — the guests who knew Just Salad was onto something back when it was a single storefront, and the fans who knew Brunson was something special well before everyone else caught on.
“We were doubted a lot, and for a long time. We didn’t get much attention and some people thought we weren’t cool enough,” said Nick Kenner, Founder and CEO of Just Salad. “But we kept our heads down and focused on making the product and the experience better every single day. That grit and focus on substance and winning is what aligns us with Jalen; his fans never needed convincing either. This campaign is about those shared values.”
Just Salad opened its first restaurant in 2006 with a reusable bowl program already in place, years before that kind of sustainability commitment was common in restaurants, and has grown to more than 125 locations largely on the strength of guests who say they knew the brand was different long before the concept of fast casual salad became a category. That same instinct — spotting the real thing early — is the throughline the campaign asks Brunson’s fans to recognize in him.
The centerpiece is a documentary-style CTV spot that pairs Brunson’s own story with real fan testimonials, shot to feel like New York telling its own story rather than a traditional endorsement.
“What I like about this campaign is that it feels true to how this partnership came together. I was already a fan of Just Salad, and being able to build something with a New York brand I genuinely believe in makes this really meaningful to me,” said Jalen Brunson, 2026 NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP and Captain of the New York Knicks. “New York fans can tell when something is authentic, and I think this captures that.”
That fandom plays out differently by market. Across New York City and Long Island, outdoor creative carries the line “Real New Yorkers Know” — a nod to the fans who were paying attention early. In New Jersey and Connecticut, the same spirit shows up as “We Always Knew,” extending that sense of ownership to the fans across the wider tri-state footprint who claim both Brunson and Just Salad just as fiercely.
“Just Salad fans have believed in this brand since long before we had 125 locations to point to,” said Jen Lally, Chief Marketing Officer of Just Salad. “Jalen’s fans have that same instinct — the pride of recognizing greatness before everyone else caught on. New York is the heart of this campaign, but that feeling of seeing something special early, and knowing you were part of it from the start, is universal.”
As the long-term partnership develops, Brunson is expected to engage with Just Salad’s leadership and culinary teams, visit restaurants, connect with guests and bring his perspective into the business over time.
Just Salad Jalen Brunson Campaign Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Just Salad?
- Just Salad is a fast-casual restaurant brand
- Just Salad’s mission is to make everyday health and sustainability possible
- Just Salad serves plant-centric meals made with homemade dressings, prepped-daily produce, from-scratch recipes and fresh, flavorful ingredients
- Just Salad offers more than 15 chef-designed salads, wraps, warm bowls, market plates, soups and smoothies
How is Just Salad sustainable?
- Just Salad is a Certified B Corporation™
- Just Salad is home to the world’s largest restaurant reusable bowl program
- Just Salad has offered reusable bowls since its founding in 2006
- Just Salad carbon labels its menu
- Just Salad offers a Climatarian category to help guests make more climate-conscious choices
- Guests who reuse Just Salad bowls help reduce waste, greenhouse gas emissions and water use¹ for a healthier planet
What is Jalen Brunson’s connection to Just Salad?
- Jalen Brunson is a partner and equity owner in Just Salad
- The partnership connects Brunson’s relationship with New York and community-centered work with a restaurant brand founded in New York focused on everyday health and sustainability
Why did Jalen Brunson partner with Just Salad?
- Brunson is a fan of Just Salad
- His partnership reflects his connection to New York, playing for the New York Knicks and with Just Salad headquartered in New York City
- Brunson believes in Just Salad’s mission to make everyday health and sustainability possible
- Brunson describes the partnership as an extension of supporting organizations and causes that matter to him personally and within his community
When does the Just Salad and Jalen Brunson campaign launch?
- Sept. 21, 2026, and runs for approximately four weeks
- Anchored by a documentary-style CTV spot, with outdoor creative across the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut footprint
Where are Just Salad locations?
- More than 125 locations
- New York (NYC, Long Island, Buffalo, and many in-between)
- New Jersey
- Connecticut
- Florida (SE FLA, Orlando, Tampa, Naples)
- Illinois
- Pennsylvania
- Massachusetts
- Washington, D.C.
About Just Salad
Just Salad is a fast-casual restaurant chain with a mission to make everyday health and sustainability possible. The brand serves craveable, accessible, plant-centric meals made with homemade dressings, prepped-daily produce, from-scratch recipes and fresh, flavorful ingredients. Guests can choose from over 15 chef-designed salads, wraps, warm bowls, market plates, soups and smoothies, including classic offerings and rotating seasonal favorites. Empowering customers to “Eat with Purpose,” Just Salad is a Certified B Corporation™ and home to the world’s largest restaurant reusable bowl program, as well as the first U.S. restaurant chain to carbon label its menu and offer a Climatarian menu category. The company was founded in 2006 and has more than 125 locations across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.
¹Environmental Life Cycle Assessment
CONTACT: Just Salad Adam Belmont press@justsalad.com
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