We the people of United Salad
For four generations, United Salad has pledged allegiance to customers, employees, farmers, and suppliers. We are one company standing united, providing outstanding products and service for all.
How We Got Here
Our roots reach back to World War II, when Mary Spada had a “what if” moment.
She saw how women had to go to work every day and still make dinner on the home front every night. One day a light bulb went on: What if women could get produce that required little to no preparation?
Yeah, Mary was ahead of her time—a true Portland trailblazer. After talking it over with her husband, Leo (another smart cookie), Mary founded United Salad Company.
With $15, a flatbed truck, and a bathtub, Mary began washing and prepackaging salad to sell to women in the area. She spent many an hour bent over that bathtub.
Our First Location
Our first location was at 10th and SE Belmont in Portland. Three years after setting up shop, sons Leon and Ernie Sr. were brought on as partners. Leon, known affectionately as “Junior”, worked side-by-side with his brother for five decades. Two peas in a pod.
Junior’s gregarious nature served him well and he took the helm of both buying and sales. He was a favorite in the industry and is greatly missed by our family and those with whom he worked.
Ernie’s energy and spirit enabled him to attend high school during the day and work nights as a buyer and warehouse manager. He took us to new heights with his business savvy and forward thinking. Ernie Sr. (now 89 and counting) is still a fixture in the office, working with his son, daughters, and grandchildren to further grow our family business.
In 1975, Ernie, Jr. joined the company working as a buyer. Eventually, he began running our day-to-day operations. A true visionary, Ernie, Jr. has an uncanny knack for sniffing out new trends. With the safety of our customers always in mind, he has made attentive service and food safety a hallmark here.
A New Generation
A new generation took the wheel when Ernie III became managing partner, overseeing all operations. His brother, Leo, came aboard several years ago, working in the warehouse at night while attending school during the day (like their grandfather did). Leo has since graduated and is now a buyer alongside their father, Ernie Jr.
Over the years, United Salad has grown steadily and added a wide selection of organics and specialty produce items. We also purchased Duck Delivery Produce in 1985 to supply high quality produce and custom cut orders for the foodservice industry, including restaurants and institutions.
Today, we have over 400 employees, 120+ trucks, and over 200,000 square feet of warehouse and office space at our location on NE 33rd Drive. We serve retail and foodservice customers all over the Pacific Northwest.
Mary Spada would be amazed at how far we’ve come from one flatbed truck, a bathtub, and a fifteen-dollar investment. And we aren’t done growing yet!
