Sweetgreen expands into new state

Sweetgreen continues to grow its national footprint.

The fast-casual salad chain will open its first location in Michigan, in Birmingham, on August 9. It will be Sweetgreen’s 170th location overall.

The Birmingham opening will be followed by two additional Michigan restaurants – in Ann Arbor on the University of Michigan campus, and in Troy. Both outposts are slated to open this fall.

Sweetgreen, which went public last November, expects to open at least 35 new restaurants in 2022. It is looking to double its footprint in the next three to five years, and sees the potential for 1,000 locations by the end of the decade

[Read More: First Look: Sweetgreen to open digital-only pickup format]

“When we began to explore our expansion into the Midwest, we took notice of Michigan’s commitment to providing healthy options to its residents and wanted to be a part of that movement,” said Sweetgreen co-founder and chief concept officer, Nicolas Jammet. “We have been meeting with local partners for over a year to ensure we enter this community in a way that is responsible and benefits the Michiganders who are lucky to call this area home.”

The Birmingham location will feature a number of locally sourced products. The brand partnered with Detroit-based artist Ellen Rutt to commission artwork for the Birmingham restaurant’s interior.