CAVA has partnered with United States Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas to promote three new limited-time offerings, including the Spicy Lamb + Avocado Bowl, the Falafel Crunch Bowl, and the Garlic Chicken + Veggie Pita.
Thomas is a track and field athlete and the 2024 200-meter Olympic champion. She is also a public health advocate. Her partnership with CAVA aims to encourage consumers to incorporate Mediterranean cuisine into their wellness plans for the New Year, according to the company.
“Gabby’s authenticity, passion, and achievements make her the perfect partner for CAVA. She loves our food, she’s inspiring and empowering, and she embodies living life to the fullest," chief experience officer Andy Rebhun said in a statement. “We share that philosophy, which we call the Mediterranean Way, and you can taste it in our food and feel it in the way we welcome everyone to our table.”
CAVA’s new offerings include:
- The Spicy Lamb + Avocado Bowl, with spicy lamb meatballs and avocado on a base of SuperGreens and black lentils, topped with Crazy Feta, red pepper hummus, Persian cucumber, pickled onions, tomato and onion, and bright lemon herb tahini dressing.
- The vegetarian Falafel Crunch Bowl features falafel, roasted vegetables, saffron basmati rice, black lentils, Crazy Feta, traditional hummus, Persian cucumber, cabbage slaw, tomato and onion, romaine, pita crisps, and spicy-herby skhug dressing.
- The Garlic Chicken + Veggie Pita is filled with grilled chicken and roasted vegetables, dressed up with tzatziki, tomato and onion, salt-brined pickles, cabbage slaw, crumbled feta, and savory garlic dressing.
With this partnership, CAVA seems to be taking a page from fast-casual peer Chipotle, which launched its Real Food for Real Athletes platform in 2019 to support athletes across all levels to perform their best “by providing proper nutrition through real food and fresh ingredients,” according to the company. Chipotle has partnered with the U.S. men’s and women’s soccer team, Olympic athletes ahead of the Summer Games in Paris, and student athletes at Ohio State University and the University of Southern California as part of the platform.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
