Staffing

Zipporah Allen steps up as Sweetgreen co-founder Nathaniel Ru steps down

Photo: LinkedIn

December 18, 2025

Sweetgreen Inc. Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Nathaniel Ru will retire from his executive role effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Ru, who spent 20 years building the fast casual salad chain from a college startup into a national brand, will retain his seat on the company's board of directors.

Ru co-founded Sweetgreen in 2007 alongside Jonathan Neman and Nicolas Jammet while the trio were students at Georgetown University. During his two-decade tenure, Ru oversaw the brand's cultural identity, leading initiatives that blended food with music and social impact, including the Sweetlife music festival and various high-profile collaborations with chefs and athletes.

"What started as a simple yet powerful idea — to create a place where healthy, sustainable food was accessible to all — has grown into something far beyond what I ever imagined," Ru said in a company press release.

Under Ru's leadership, Sweetgreen expanded to nearly 300 restaurants across 150 cities, serving an estimated 300 million meals.

Jonathan Neman, Sweetgreen co-founder and CEO, praised Ru's influence on the company's trajectory from its first business plan in 2006 to its current status as a publicly traded industry leader.

"Nate has been there every step, shaping Sweetgreen into the national brand it is today," Neman said in the release. "We will miss having Nate involved in the day to day, but I am grateful he'll remain closely connected through his role as a board member."

The company confirmed that Zipporah Allen, who joined Sweetgreen as chief commercial officer in September, has already assumed Ru's previous responsibilities. Allen previously held leadership roles at Strava, Taco Bell, and McDonald's.

Based in Los Angeles, Sweetgreen has built its reputation on a seasonal, scratch-cooked menu and a transparent supply chain involving hundreds of U.S. farmers.