Health-Focused Fast Food Chain sweetgreen Accused of Stealing Design Idea from Streetwear Brand Market
The popular fast food chain sweetgreen is facing backlash after being accused of stealing a design idea from streetwear brand Market. The brand’s founder, Mike Cherman, took to social media to call out sweetgreen for allegedly using an apparel design that they had pitched to the restaurant chain last year.
Pitched Collaboration Idea to sweetgreen in 2023
According to Cherman and Market, they pitched a collaboration idea to sweetgreen back in September 2023. They shared screenshots of an email conversation with sweetgreen’s founder Nathaniel Ru, showing initial interest in the collaboration.
Initial Interest in Using Kale and Arugula for Custom Camo Print
Market’s pitch included using the iconic silhouettes and colors of Kale and Arugula to create a custom camouflage pattern for a collaborative collection. The email from Ru even mentioned setting up a call between Market’s team and sweetgreen’s creative director Jillian.
Mockups of Kale and Arugula Camo Print Shared
Market also shared their presentation pitch, which included mockups of what the Kale and Arugula camo print could look like. However, after their presentation, sweetgreen never followed up with Market to confirm the collaboration.
New Collaboration with Everybody.World Announced
Fast forward to today, sweetgreen has announced a new collaboration with Los Angeles-based brand Everybody.World. This announcement comes after the reveal of a kale camo print hoodie, which has sparked controversy.
Accusations of Stealing Ideas Without Compensation
Market has called out sweetgreen, stating, “For a company that does almost $700 million in sales, you can afford to do the right thing and not steal our ideas without compensation.” They also shared comments from fans who are demanding answers from sweetgreen.
No Statement Released by sweetgreen
Despite the backlash and accusations, sweetgreen has not released a statement addressing the situation. Fans are eagerly waiting for a response from the fast food chain.
