Sweetgreen Strengthens Leadership Team with Two New Hires

August 21, 2023 at 09:00 AM EDT

Chad Brauze joins as Head of Culinary and Michael Kotick as VP, Head of Marketing

Sweetgreen, the mission-driven restaurant brand serving healthy food at scale, today announced the hiring of Chad Brauze, Head of Culinary, and Michael Kotick, VP, Head of Marketing, to join the Sweetgreen team.

"We are thrilled to have these two industry leaders join our team at such an exciting time for the company,” said Sweetgreen Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Neman. “Over the past several months, we have introduced heartier menu options and launched our loyalty program, building on our industry-leading digital app. Their deep experience in menu innovation and marketing, combined with their passion for scaling businesses and pushing boundaries, will help us further our mission of connecting people to real food.”

Chad Brauze brings extensive menu innovation experience from quick service to fast casual and fine dining restaurants. In his role, Chad will be responsible for overseeing the Sweetgreen menu development and the innovation roadmap, and will report to Nicolas Jammet, Co-Founder and Chief Concept Officer.

Chad joins Sweetgreen from Burger King where he was the Senior Director of Culinary Innovation and Sustainability, overseeing the core menu and limited time only food program. Prior to that, he was the Director of Culinary and Menu Development at Chipotle Mexican Grill. His work included the testing and successful launches of Queso Blanco, Carne Asada and Brisket. Chad has trained in renowned kitchens around the world including at El Bulli, Per Se and Daniel. He holds a degree from the Culinary Institute of America.

Michael Kotick adds award-winning marketing, innovation, and communications experience to the team from his time working with fast casual and CPG food brands. In his role, Michael will be responsible for overseeing Sweetgreen’s marketing and menu strategy, and will report to Nathaniel Ru, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer.

Prior to joining Sweetgreen, Michael served as Chipotle’s Senior Director of Marketing. He was responsible for driving Chipotle’s purpose-driven marketing through national campaigns, brand and sustainability actions, menu and product innovation, digital marketing, loyalty program growth, and in-restaurant experience. During his tenure, Michael also led the marketing strategy for Chipotle’s brand growth in Canada and Western Europe.

Additionally, Michael spent eight years at Nestlé where he served in various marketing leadership positions, including marketing director, general manager, Member of Nestlé’s global marketing leadership team, and global head of digital and social media of PetCare.

Michael has been recognized as one of Business Insider’s 25 Rising Stars in Brand Marketing, and has earned a Master's in Global Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management, an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Michigan State University, and a BA in Economics from Michigan State University.

About Sweetgreen:

Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG) passionately believes that real food should be convenient and accessible to everyone. Every day their team members create delicious seasonal meals from fresh ingredients and produce that prioritizes organic, regenerative, and local sourcing. Sweetgreen strongly believes in harnessing the power of technology to enhance the customer experience to meet their customers where they are. Sweetgreen’s strong food ethos and investment in local communities have enabled them to grow into a national brand with a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. To learn more about Sweetgreen and its menu, visit www.Sweetgreen.com. Follow Sweetgreen on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @Sweetgreen.