Sweetgreen Takes on Dinner With Bold Flavors Featuring Miso Glazed Salmon and Herb Roasted Chicken

Rhea-AI Summary

Sweetgreen announces the expansion of its protein plates category, offering new flavor profiles and hearty proteins for dinner. The new protein plates include Miso Glazed Salmon, Southwest Chicken Fajita, and Hot Honey Chicken.

Positive

• Sweetgreen expands its menu with protein plates, appealing to more customers at dinner and increasing frequency at dinner by 75% in a pilot test.
• The protein plates offer over 30 grams of protein and double the protein serving on each plate, providing a filling and satisfying meal.
• Sweetgreen partners with Bari Olive Oil Company and Texas Olive Ranch as its cooking oil suppliers, ensuring high-quality ingredients.

Negative

• None.

• The category expansion of protein plates is part of Sweetgreen’s long-term strategy to appeal to more customers at dinner.
• Featuring over 30 grams of protein roasted in olive oil, the menu includes a tasty trio of craveable plates: Miso Glazed Salmon, Southwest Chicken Fajita and Hot Honey Chicken.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG), the mission-driven restaurant brand serving healthy food at scale, announced its first major entrée category expansion in three years, bringing craveable protein plates nationwide, including Miso Glazed Salmon, Southwest Chicken Fajita and Hot Honey Chicken. Available today, the category expansion builds upon a menu of beloved signature salads and warm bowls, offering new flavor profiles and hearty proteins that feel as good to eat as they taste.

The category expansion of protein plates is part of Sweetgreen’s long-term strategy to appeal to more customers at dinner. (Photo: Business Wire)

“We’ve always believed you don’t have to be a salad person to be a Sweetgreen person,” said Nicolas Jammet, Sweetgreen Co-Founder and Chief Concept Officer. “Today, around 35% of our customers order Sweetgreen for dinner. With our protein plates, we’re tackling dinnertime, bringing Sweetgreen fans new chef-crafted, protein-forward options with unmatched heartiness and value we know they’ll love.”

Meat the New Protein Plates

Sweetgreen, known for its rotating menu of seasonal salads, is shaking things up and growing a category its fans are craving. The new trio of protein-forward plates brings customers even bolder and richer flavors at dinner, for a meal that combines high-quality ingredients at an unparalleled price value. As a long-time frontrunner of lunch, this expansion helps to unlock a new daypart, offering customers the comfort and tastiness of Sweetgreen at dinner.

In 2022, Sweetgreen found that 75% of participants surveyed during a pilot test expressed that additional menu options outside of salads and warm bowls would increase their frequency at dinner. Tapping into these Sweetgreen fan requests, the new protein plates offer up heartier portions and bold flavors to spice up customers’ order rotation.

“Sweetgreen has cultivated an incredible community of fans who connect over a shared love of food that is fresh, filling and delicious,” said Chad Brauze, Sweetgreen’s Head of Culinary. “It’s exciting to be part of this menu innovation to expand our plates with protein-forward meals and give our guests more of what they want.”

Real Ingredients, Big Flavor

The chef-crafted entrées amp up the flavor and double the protein serving on each plate. Featuring a hefty portion of over 30 grams of protein cooked in extra virgin olive oil, protein plates are dressed with savory sauces and a filling 2x portion of grains that fans crave. The trio includes:

• The Miso Glazed Salmon Plate, inspired by a deconstructed sushi roll, features a hearty piece of miso glazed Atlantic salmon on a bed of nori-seasoned white rice complemented with pickled onions, cucumbers and half an avocado topped with crispy onions and Sweetgreen’s signature Spicy Cashew sauce.
• The Southwest Chicken Fajita Plate, introduces a new herb roasted chicken to the menu, accompanied by fajita veggies, shredded cabbage, a double portion of white rice with umami seasoning, and black beans for additional protein and topped with Sweetgreen’s Lime Cilantro Jalapeño Vinaigrette and a drizzle of crema for a perfectly balanced combination of heat and tang in every bite.
• The Hot Honey Chicken Plate, first introduced in a menu pilot a few years back, has long reigned as a menu favorite with Sweetgreen fans everywhere. Now, the craveable dish is getting a revamp with a new, larger portion of juicy, herb roasted chicken, accompanied by a double serving of herbed quinoa, warm roasted sweet potatoes and veggie slaw, topped with crispy onions and a side of Sweetgreen’s signature Hot Honey Mustard Dressing for dipping and slathering.

Along with the menu expansion, Sweetgreen is announcing that summer standout salads and bowls are here to stay. The BBQ Chicken Salad and Italian Chopped Salad will now round out Sweetgreen’s core lineup, and the Elote Bowl will be available online, bringing customer-selected favorites to menus all year long.

Last week, Sweetgreen announced that it is partnering with extra virgin olive oil suppliers Bari Olive Oil Company and Texas Olive Ranch as its cooking oil for all proteins, grains and veggies. As the company continues to innovate its menu, Sweetgreen is also exploring implementing avocado oil as an additional cooking oil.

Earn Rewards with Sweetpass and Sweetpass+

Beginning today, protein plates are available in-store and through the Sweetgreen app for Sweetpass members nationwide. Signing up is free and members can benefit from personalized rewards and perks, including ways to earn free Sweetgreen. For only $10 per month, members can upgrade to Sweetpass+ and enjoy $3 off daily orders.

To stay on top of Sweetgreen news and promotions, sign up on Sweetgreen’s website, and follow along @Sweetgreen on Instagram and TikTok.

About Sweetgreen: Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG) passionately believes that real food should be convenient and accessible to everyone. Every day their team members create delicious seasonal meals from fresh ingredients and produce that prioritizes organic, regenerative, and local sourcing. Sweetgreen strongly believes in harnessing the power of technology to enhance the customer experience to meet their customers where they are. Sweetgreen’s strong food ethos and investment in local communities have enabled them to grow into a national brand with a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. To learn more about Sweetgreen and its menu, visit www.Sweetgreen.com. Follow Sweetgreen on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @Sweetgreen.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231024385806/en/

Sweetgreen Contact, Media:

Jenny Seltzer

press@sweetgreen.com

Sweetgreen Contact, Investor Relations:

Rebecca Nounou

ir@sweetgreen.com

Source: Sweetgreen

FAQ

What is Sweetgreen's new menu expansion?

Sweetgreen is expanding its menu with protein plates, offering Miso Glazed Salmon, Southwest Chicken Fajita, and Hot Honey Chicken.

How does the expansion appeal to more customers at dinner?

The expansion offers heartier options and bold flavors, increasing frequency at dinner by 75% in a pilot test.

What are the benefits of the protein plates?

The protein plates provide over 30 grams of protein and double the protein serving on each plate, ensuring a filling and satisfying meal.

Who are Sweetgreen's cooking oil suppliers?

Sweetgreen partners with Bari Olive Oil Company and Texas Olive Ranch as its cooking oil suppliers.

How can customers earn rewards with Sweetpass?

Customers can sign up for Sweetpass for free and enjoy personalized rewards and perks. They can also upgrade to Sweetpass+ for $10 per month and get $3 off daily orders.