Cava CEO Defends Bowls Amidst Industry Doubts

Cava Chief Executive Brett Schulman is actively defending the popularity of food bowls, a staple of his chain's menu. This defense comes at a time when Cava, alongside competitors like Sweetgreen and Chipotle, experienced a difficult 2025, marked by decreased customer traffic and consumer complaints about 'bowl fatigue' and high prices. Cava's stock saw a significant drop of approximately 35% over the preceding 12 months.

In a recent interview, Schulman dismissed the notion of a declining trend for bowls, emphasizing that customer preference is for good food rather than the vessel it is served in. This statement follows Sweetgreen's Tuesday announcement of introducing wraps, aiming to expand "beyond the bowl." Despite these industry shifts, Cava's fourth-quarter sales growth surpassed analyst expectations, with earnings per share meeting projections. The company also issued same-store sales guidance for the current year that exceeded some analyst forecasts, causing Cava shares to climb 7% in after-hours trading.