Sweetgreen has tapped Ryan Slemons as its new chief development officer, a hire that signals aggressive expansion plans for the fast-casual salad chain. Slemons comes from Unleashed Brands, where he held development leadership roles across the pet services company's portfolio. His appointment arrives as Sweetgreen pushes toward a goal of 1,000 domestic locations, marking a significant scaling effort for the chain.
Slemons brings proven expertise in building restaurant networks and managing multi-unit growth. His background at Unleashed, which operates franchise concepts like Wag and Fetch, positions him to handle the operational complexity of rapid expansion. At Sweetgreen, he'll oversee the strategic placement and buildout of new restaurants while ensuring consistency across locations.
The timing matters. Fast-casual chains continue competing fiercely for real estate and consumer attention. Sweetgreen's move to recruit seasoned development talent reflects the capital-intensive nature of this growth stage. With strong unit economics and a loyal customer base, the chain has the foundation for expansion. Slemons' hiring shows management confidence in the roadmap.
Sweetgreen currently operates hundreds of restaurants across major U.S. markets. Reaching 1,000 locations would require sustained momentum and careful market selection. Slemons' track record suggests the chain has found someone capable of executing that vision.