{"id":7286,"date":"2015-12-09T23:14:38","date_gmt":"2015-12-10T04:14:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/sweetgreens-winning-recipe\/"},"modified":"2015-12-09T23:17:31","modified_gmt":"2015-12-10T04:17:31","slug":"sweetgreens-winning-recipe","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/sweetgreens-winning-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Sweetgreen\u2019s Winning Recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Sweetgreen.jpg\"><div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-7286 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href="https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/sweetgreens-winning-recipe\/sweetgreen-2\/"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Sweetgreen1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7193\" src=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Sweetgreen.jpg\" alt=\"Sweetgreen\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/>Fast causal is one of the most competitive and fast growing segments in the food industry. In order for a company to succeed in this fiercely competitive landscape, it needs to ensure that its business and operating models are aligned. Sweetgreen, a Washington, DC based salad chain with over $100M in venture funding, is disrupting the $5 trillion dollar food industry by relentlessly pursing this alignment, ensuring that its operating model can repeatedly satisfy the companies business goals. <a href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\">[i]<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Business Model- <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cSweetgreen is a destination for delicious food that\u2019s both healthy for you and aligned with your values. We source local and organic ingredients from farmers we know and partners we trust, supporting our communities and creating meaningful relationships with those around us. We exist to create experiences where passion and purpose come together.\u201d<a href=\"#_edn2\" name=\"_ednref2\">[ii]<\/a> The company uses sustainability, health, speed, and community to attract customers to its 30 plus locations.<a href=\"#_edn3\" name=\"_ednref3\">[iii]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sweetgreen\u2019s operating model is fully aligned with the companies\u2019 business model.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Operating Model<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong> Human Capital<\/strong>&#8211; The company attracts passionate workers that are proud to identify themselves as Sweetgreen employees. They maintain this talent by paying their workers slightly more than fast causal competitors ($10.15 an hour) and by providing free meals every shift.<a href=\"#_edn4\" name=\"_ednref4\">[iv]<\/a> Sweetgreen also ensures that all employees understand their operational model. All employees from top-level executives to backend finance employees must work on the Sweetgreen assembly line as part of their onboarding process.<a href=\"#_edn5\" name=\"_ednref5\">[v]<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/sweetgreen.com\/careers\/#join-us\">watch the video<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong> Quality<\/strong>&#8211; Sweetgreen sources its food from local farmers and changes its menu consistently to take advantage of the seasonality of certain ingredients. The only physical barrier that separates the food from the customer is a thin glass divider, signaling to customers that the company is proud of their food and has nothing to hide. The visibility in the operational process appeals to millennial consumers who like to understand where their food comes from and how it\u2019s assembled.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong> Speed<\/strong>&#8211; Sweetgreen replicated Chipotle\u2019s assembly line model but occasionally incorporates slight modifications. Similar to Chipotle, Sweetgreen has a line of employees standing shoulder-to-shoulder building certain parts of a customer\u2019s meal. What differentiates Sweetgreen\u2019s operational model from Chipotle\u2019s, is that occasionally a single employee will travel down the assembly line completing each aspect of a customer\u2019s salad. This rarely occurs when the restaurant has a long line, but during quieter periods it is extremely common. Sweetgreen abandons the assembly line model because the founders believe that if an employee travels down the assembly line with the customer, they will have time to create a dialogue and connect with the consumer. This coincides with Sweetgreen\u2019s mission to create meaningful relationships with their customers. <a href=\"#_edn6\" name=\"_ednref6\">[vi]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong> Technology<\/strong>&#8211; The company leverages the latest technology to increase speed and customer loyalty. Sweetgreen offers an application to place orders and pay without entering the confines of the store. <a href=\"#_edn7\" name=\"_ednref7\">[vii]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><strong> Real Estate<\/strong>&#8211; Sweetgreen\u2019s store infrastructure and real estate selection is one of the true differentiators in their operating model. The company\u2019s founders carefully select locations and infrastructure that don\u2019t need significant renovation to align with their mission to be environmentally conscious. More important to the operations of their business is the utilization of floor space. Since meals are made in front of customers, Sweetgreen does not need a large kitchen or expensive culinary machines. The lack of capital investment and physical infrastructure contributes to Sweetgreens impressive profit margin.<a href=\"#_edn8\" name=\"_ednref8\">[viii]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li><strong> Culture<\/strong>&#8211; Outside of their traditional salad business, Sweetgreen also organizes a music festival called SWEETLIFE that showcases some of the most popular artists including Calvin Harris, Kendrick Lamar, The Weekend, and Vance Joy.<a href=\"#_edn9\" name=\"_ednref9\">[ix]<\/a> Photograph\u2019s of these events are strategically hung where lines build up in their in store locations.\u00a0\u00a0 These photographs constantly remind Sweetgreen\u2019s customers that by eating at Sweetgreen they are doing much more than consuming a salad.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>As Sweetgreen continues to scale, the company needs to be careful not to sacrifice their unique ability to align their business and operating models. \u00a0Their attention to detail and strategic alignment in their early years has positioned them well to\u00a0challenge more established players such as Chipotle and Panera Bread.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">[i]<\/a> http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/videos\/how-sweetgreen-is-redefining-healthy-fast-food\/<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">[ii]<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/sweetgreen.com\/our-story\/\">http:\/\/sweetgreen.com\/our-story\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\">[iii]<\/a> http:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/239924<a href=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Sweetgreen.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7193\" src=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Sweetgreen.jpg\" alt=\"Sweetgreen\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Sweetgreen.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7193\" src=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Sweetgreen.jpg\" alt=\"Sweetgreen\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref4\" name=\"_edn4\">[iv]<\/a> http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2015\/07\/10\/investing\/sweetgreen-brand-next-chipotle\/<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref5\" name=\"_edn5\">[v]<\/a> Employee interview conducted on 12\/1\/15<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref6\" name=\"_edn6\">[vi]<\/a> http:\/\/www.phillymag.com\/be-well-philly\/2015\/10\/15\/sweetgreen-rittenhouse-philadelphia\/#gallery-2-2<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref7\" name=\"_edn7\">[vii]<\/a> http:\/\/sweetgreen.com\/<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref8\" name=\"_edn8\">[viii]<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.wsj.com\/venturecapital\/2013\/12\/04\/steve-cases-revolution-invests-22m-in-sweetgreen-salad-shop\/\">http:\/\/blogs.wsj.com\/venturecapital\/2013\/12\/04\/steve-cases-revolution-invests-22m-in-sweetgreen-salad-shop\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref9\" name=\"_edn9\">[ix]<\/a> http:\/\/sweetlifefestival.com\/<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref10\" name=\"_edn10\">[x]<\/a> https:\/\/seatgeek.com\/tba\/festivals\/sweetlife-festival-tickets-tour-dates-schedule-lineup\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sweetgreen&#039;s attention to detail and strategic alignment is paying dividends for the fast causal startup.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1086,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[289,1126,578],"class_list":["post-7286","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","hentry","category-alignment","category-sweetgreen","category-tom-winner"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/the-tom-challenge-tom-winners-and-losers-assignment\/","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - 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