Sweetgreen has named a former Pizza Hut franchisee and former Chipotle executive to the role of chief operating officer, the company said Tuesday.
Jason Cochran has been named Sweetgreen’s new COO, replacing Rossann Williams, who announced her exit earlier this month.
Cochran, who steps into the position officially on Monday, is an industry veteran who served most recently as CEO of American West Restaurant Group, the nation’s third-largest Pizza Hut franchisee.
Before that, Cochran spent four years with Sweetgreen arch-rival Chipotle Mexican Grill as vice president of operations services, supporting more than 3,000 restaurants. He also worked previously with GameStop, ultimately becoming senior vice president of U.S. stores, responsible for 4,400 locations and more than $7.5 billion in sales, the company said.
At Sweetgreen, Cochran will oversee field operations, as well as operations services and innovation. He will report directly to co-founder and CEO Jonathan Neman.
The move comes at a time when Sweetgreen is accelerating growth, with a net of 40 new restaurants expected to open this year, up from 25 in 2024. Of the new restaurants coming, half will be the Infinite Kitchen format, which uses an automated makeline.
Sweetgreen is also upping menu innovation, with the recent launch of new Ripple Fries and a number of other new menu items coming, including the possibility of hand-held items.
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