Sweetgreen isn’t a tech company—but for a salad chain, it sure acts like one. On Monday, the company launched a monthly subscription service for discounted bowls of its leafy greens.
For $10 a month, Sweetgreen’s Sweetpass offers a $3 daily discount towards its salads—echoing Uber One, Instacart Express, DashPass, and other digital loyalty programs that incentivize repeat customers in exchange for an upfront cost. To get the discount, members must order through the Culver City-based firm’s app or website and spend at least $9.95.
The launch of the subscription comes less than two months after Sweetgreen’s initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. After listing at an IPO price of $28 per share and trading as high as $56.20 per share, Sweetgreen’s stock has shed more than 35% of its value since its November peak. On Monday, its shares hovered north of $31.
The new membership service coincides with the season of New Year's resolutions, which is go-time for the $71 billion diet and weight loss industry. Sweetpass is not marketed as a weight-loss tool, but salad has long been associated with dieting and abstention.
“It’s time to kick off a year of feeling good,” reads a splash page for Sweetpass. “Whether you’re committing to simple rituals like taking a walk, starting a journal, or adding nourishing greens to every meal—building sustainable routines often starts with one good habit. We’ve got just the thing.”
Last year, Sweetgreen CEO Jonathan Neman ignited an uproar with his comments on weight loss and the coronavirus, which he later walked back. Neman and his cofounders Nathaniel Ru and Nicolas Jammet collectively control nearly 60% of the company’s voting power, by virtue of dual-class shares.
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