Sweetgreen hires Chipotle exec as chief strategy officer

Cindy Olsen will help oversee the beleaguered chain’s turnaround strategy after it posted its worst sales decline since going public.

Cindy Olsen joins during a critical time for Sweetgreen, which is stuck in a significant same-store sales rut. The chain posted a 12.8% decline in comparable sales during the first quarter — its worst decline since going public in 2021.

In her newly created role, Olsen will play a “critical role” in the chain’s Sweet Growth Transformation Plan by “translating Sweetgreen’s strategic priorities into long-term value creation,” the company said in a press release. The turnaround initiative includes a focus on operational improvements, food quality, customer experience and brand relevance.

Olsen will oversee the company’s corporate strategy and strategic communications and will bridge strategy, finance and operations. She will be accountable for turning “strategic priorities into measurable outcomes and clear communication for both internal and external stakeholders,” the press release said.

“Cindy is known for her ability to drive profitable growth through a disciplined approach to strategic decision-making,” said Jonathan Neman, Sweetgreen’s co-founder and CEO. “She is the perfect addition to the executive team at this juncture in our transformation, with deep consumer and restaurant industry experience and a track record of bringing rigor to investment decisions.”

Olsen previously spent over four years at Chipotle, where she worked with the executive team to “evolve the long-term strategy and connect it to value creation,” the press release said. She bridged the priorities of team members, guests and shareholders.

Prior to entering the restaurant industry, she worked as managing director and equity research analyst at Nuveen and at Franklin Templeton for a combined 17 years. She covered public and private companies in the consumer sector.