OPERATIONS
CAVA'S CEO: HERE'S HOW WE'LL REMAIN BEST IN BREEDCONTINUED...
a milestone. Units opening in new markets, like Chicago, have exceeded expec- tations. Cava is moving into south Florida next, and will continue to both fill in existing markets and open in new cities. As the brand grows, so does brand awareness. Schulman estimates that Cava’s brand awareness has grown by 8 percentage points since it went pub- lic last year. And Schulman sees Cava as po- tentially a global brand, though not any time in the near future. “It’s easy to chase every opportu- nity that’s in front of you,” he said. “But often what you say no to is more important than what you say yes to.” Investments in infrastruc- ture: Over the past 14 years, Cava has made some significant invest- ments to position for growth. A key move was building two manufac- turing facilities, where the sauces and dips that spice the menu are produced, both for retail channels (another growth opportunity) and restaurants. Together, they have the capacity to supply up to 750 restau- rants. That ensures that the taziki will continue to be made with real cucumbers and dill, for example, maintaining consistency and quality. And it removes significant complexity from restaurant kitchens. Balancing technology with hospitality. While other chains are looking for efficiencies with kiosks and automated makelines, Schulman bemoans how many players in the industry have become increasingly “transactional.” He drills the phrase “heart, health and humanity” into every brand communication, saying consumers today want human engagement. More than 60% of revenue is generated in restaurants at Cava, and the brand is adding more elements of warmth into units, like
softer seating and plants. Workers are encouraged to “hit the Love Button” to give out free meals when they feel it might lift someone’s spirits. That’s not to say Schulman is anti- technology, but he tends to keep it back of house. Cava has rolled out a new AI-fueled labor deployment model, for example, and the chain is testing a Connected Kitchen initiative that helps restaurants better predict how they should prep, batch cook and schedule. Schulman said he’s even open to exploring the use of an automated makeline—like competitors Sweet- green and Chipotle—but only for the secondary digital makeline be- hind the scenes. The front line is for human engagement. It’s all about giving the guest options, Schulman said. Sometimes people want to meet a friend, build their meal and sit, and other times they want to order online, pick up quickly and go. At Cava, they can do both. “We have the opportunity tens of thousands of times a day to touch people’s lives, and hopefully in a positive way,” he said. “It’s not about consumption. It’s about connection.” Commitment to culture. Schul- man said, early on, he used to worry about maintaining a culture of hos- pitality as they grew the fast-casual chain. He said he once asked famed restaurateur Danny Meyer about it over lunch. Meyer, of course, liter- ally wrote the book on hospitality (“Setting the Table: The Transform- ing Power of Hospitality in Busi- ness”), which is widely read in the industry. Meyer told Schulman that you don’t maintain culture as you grow. “He said, 'You’re always evolving it and nurturing it. The culture you have at 50 units is different from 500 units,'” said Schulman. “It always stuck with me, that culture isn’t static.”
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RESTAURANT BUSINESS JANUARY 2025
PHOTO: ENVATO
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