Sweetgreen, Started by Local College Students, Gains Big Investor

Sweetgreen, the organic salad retail chain launched in 2007 that has expanded across the District and five states, just received a $22 million investment from Washington, D.C., firm Revolution Growth, known for investing in tech firms, theWashington Business Journalreports.

The investment will go toward national growth in key markets, the Business Journal says, as well as building the company’s “team and corporate culture, and growing community programs and marketing initiatives.” 

The D.C.-based company, founded by Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman and Nathaniel Ru, has 10 locations in D.C., as well as shops in Northern Virginia, Maryland and the Northeast.

Sweetgreen is a farm-to-table salad restaurant whose founders were students hoping to solve a problem that they had, which was how to find healthy and organic fast food near the Georgetown University campus, says TechCrunch.com. With few options around, the students decided to create their own healthy food hangout.

Most of the salad chain’s food comes from local farms and suppliers, TechCrunch says, which means a regularly changing menu of options for customers.

Meanwhile, its shops have been designed to have an open, clean feel, while also having minimal environmental impact. Sweetgreen incorporates reclaimed materials and uses eco-conscious packaging, the website reports.