While some brands are partnering with celebrities for limited time offers, others are going the route of celebrity investors.

Fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen’s newest investor is tennis phenom Naomi Osaka, the chain’s youngest investor at 23. Osaka also happens to be the Culver City, Calif.-based chain’s first national athlete ambassador, and it’s the first food collaboration for the three-time Grand Slam singles champion.

“I’m proud to join forces with Sweetgreen to change the way the world thinks of traditional fast-food sponsorships. As an athlete, what I put into my body directly correlates to how I perform and eating delicious, healthy foods fuels my daily routine,” said Osaka in a statement. “I’m excited about the work we’re doing together to create a positive impact.”

Osaka’s first designed bowl launches at the chain on May 20 and will only be available for pickup or delivery through the chain’s app at all 120 locations. The Naomi Osaka Bowl, her go-to order, features warm quinoa, baby spinach, cilantro, tomato, tortilla chips, raw carrots, goat cheese, blackened chicken, lime-cilantro jalapeno vinaigrette, avocado, and Sweetgreen hot sauce.

Osaka, a Japanese American, and Sweetgreen are also jointly supporting The Asian American Foundation in their effort to advance equity in the AAPI community. On Wednesday, May 26, 100% of sales from every Naomi Osaka Bowl will support AAPI-led organizations increasing food access in AAPI communities.

In February, businesswoman Martha Stewart joined the board of directors for burger chain BurgerFi. In this position, Stewart will chair the product & innovation committee of the publicly-traded company.

“BurgerFi’s chef-driven concept attracted me to the brand,” said Martha Stewart in a statement. “From their hand-crafted menu items and their commitment to the NAE program, BurgerFi’s mission to redefine the way the world eats burgers is powerful and showcases their efforts to excel with their products and innovation. I am looking forward to being a part of the BurgerFi family and watching the brand amass its true potential.”

Since the initial announcement, Stewart has been involved in marketing promotions including a recent Instagram campaign for the chain’s SWAG Burger. The Spicy Wagyu Burger, or SWAG, was BurgerFi’s newest menu item at the time and Stewart recorded herself eating the burger and challenging other chains to “join the next big food wars.”

After the chain’s breakthrough collaboration with musician Travis Scott in 2020, the quick-service giant has collaborated with several celebrities for limited-edition meals. The latest in the Famous Orders series is K-Pop band BTS.

The South Korean group’s “Famous Order” is a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries and a medium drink. And, for the first time in the U.S., the chain will be offering sweet chili and Cajun sauces which were inspired by popular recipes from McDonald’s South Korea. The meal debuts May 26 in the U.S. and across 49 other markets through its June 25 debut in Indonesia.

Chicago-based McDonald’s has collaborated with global artists, such as J Balvin, before, so making the leap to another, extremely popular global band makes sense even though the chain is based in the U.S.

The inspiration for the “Famous Orders” marketing campaign is to shine “a bright light on a simple, yet universal truth” according to Alistair Macrow, McDonald’s global chief marketing officer. “In every country where we operate, from every walk of life and at almost every life stage: everyone has a go-to McDonald’s order.”

While some brands are using celebrities for their own gain in terms of increased sales, others are using celebrities as a way to attract applicants to charitable programs.

Chipotle’s accelerator program to support ventures from across the country that are building sustainable, equitable, and efficient food systems, the Aluminaries Project, has its newest celebrity: Jason Mraz. The Grammy-winning musician is not a newcomer to the fast-casual brand, however; Mraz is a longtime supplier of avocados for the chain at his farm in California.

The Aluminaries Project allows ventures to submit applications through May 21 for the opportunity to receive seven months of customized support, including mentorship from Jason Mraz and other industry leaders, individualized investor introductions, and Chipotle VIP cards, which will provide food to fuel work sessions all year.

“Learning to work with land, trees, and seasons has been a truly humbling experience. I’ve seen firsthand how some farming practices can benefit the earth versus how other, less-careful choices contribute to pollution and the climate crisis,” said Jason Mraz. “At The Mranch, we prioritize regenerative, organic farming, growing resilience in addition to good foods. I believe the future of farming is innovative and spirited, where each of us see ourselves as a steward for the earth, while advancing equity for all workers involved.”

Some brands have built their names on celebrity partnerships. NextBite, which partnered with Wiz Khalifa last year for a virtual brand from the rapper, is one such company.

Beginning June 8, virtual brand group NextBite Brands LLC will team up with comedian George Lopez for its newest collaboration. George Lopez Tacos will feature street taco recipes developed by the comedian himself and feature slow-cooked meats, toppings and salsas.

“With Nextbite’s delivery-only concept, we are helping restaurants thrive by adding a delicious delivery-only menu item that allows them to get a little bit of George in the kitchen and bring more revenue into their operation,” Lopez said.

George Lopez Tacos will be offered nationwide in June on through Nextbite restaurant partners in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and more, the company said.