Sweetgreen chief development officer Chris Tarrant will leave the US-based fast-casual salad chain later this month, according to a Bloomberg report.
A Sweetgreen spokesperson told the publication that the decision is due to personal reasons and did not share additional information. The source added that Tarrant will stay on through the end of January to support the handover of responsibilities.
Tarrant joined Sweetgreen in 2024 from dessert brand Nothing Bundt Cakes. He previously held development roles at Starbucks.
His exit follows the retirement of Sweetgreen co-founder Nathaniel Ru from the chief brand officer role a month earlier. Zipporah Allen, who became Sweetgreen’s chief commercial officer last September, has taken on Ru’s responsibilities.
Since 2023, Sweetgreen has appointed new executives across operations, marketing and finance.
According to Bloomberg, the leadership shifts come as Sweetgreen contends with weaker trading. Same-store sales have declined for three consecutive quarters in 2025 for the salad chain.
Comparable sales fell 9.5% in the third quarter, the steepest drop since the pandemic, and analysts project a larger decline for the October–December period.
In response, Sweetgreen has scaled back its unit growth plans to preserve cash. The company now aims to open between 15 and 20 locations this year, down from a previously projected 37 new restaurants in 2025.
Sweetgreen has not posted a profit since going public. As part of its efforts to strengthen its balance sheet, the company recently agreed to sell its kitchen automation technology while continuing to lease the equipment under a separate arrangement.
“Sweetgreen development chief to depart amid slower expansion plans” was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand.
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