Sweetgreen names Molly Baz its first chef in residence after cyclospora fallout

Sweetgreen says the Sweetgreen cyclospora outbreak fallout hurt its business even though the chain was not implicated in the food-safety event. As it seeks to move past the summer’s drop in demand for produce, the company has named cookbook author Molly Baz its first chef in residence.

Federal investigators tied the outbreak to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, according to Fortune. Sweetgreen cofounder and chief concept officer Nic Jammet told the publication that the chain does not use iceberg lettuce or buy lettuce from Mexico; the CDC declared the outbreak over on Sept. 11.

The wider consumer reaction still weighed on the salad-focused chain. In August, Sweetgreen reduced its full-year same-store-sales forecast to a decline of 7% to 8%, from a previous projected decline of 2% to 4%, Fortune reported.

How did the cyclospora outbreak affect Sweetgreen?

Sweetgreen was not linked to the outbreak, but customers’ reluctance to buy lettuce and other produce reduced demand, CNBC reported in August. CEO Jonathan Neman said the company activated a crisis-response team and promoted hot food and other menu categories while it dealt with the decline.

Jammet told Fortune that Sweetgreen’s response was to emphasize its supply chain, remain close to customers and keep stores operating well rather than become consumed by public discussion of the outbreak. The company says its greens are sourced in the United States and that it works directly with farmers; those are company descriptions of its sourcing practices, rather than independent safety findings.

The chain is also stressing that its menu extends beyond salads. Neman told CNBC that salads accounted for less than half of Sweetgreen’s business, while wraps made up about 20%, figures presented as executive claims.

What is on Molly Baz’s Sweetgreen menu?

Baz’s residency brings three limited-time offerings: a Caesar wrap, a pickle Caesar salad and a scoop of chicken salad served with a pickle spear. Fortune reported that the items are scheduled to remain on the menu through Nov. 9.

Jammet said the collaboration follows other menu activity this year, including a push into wraps and partnerships with Alice Waters and Fishwife. He described the Baz launch as part of an effort to restore the regular product activity that helped build the brand.

A lesson from Sweetgreen’s first week

Jammet connected the company’s current response to an incident before Sweetgreen’s first store opened in 2007. A break-in a week before the opening took a laptop holding recipes and training materials, according to Fortune.

Jammet, Neman and cofounder Nathaniel Ru spent the following week reconstructing the files from old emails. Jammet said the episode taught the founders to use a crisis to focus on solutions, a lesson he said still informs how Sweetgreen handles setbacks.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.