Just Salad LLC has promoted Janani Lee to the new position of chief sustainability officer, the company says.
Lee most recently was director of supply chain at the New York-based fast-casual concept, which has 34 locations. She joined Just Salad as purchasing manager in March 2018.
“Hiring a chief sustainability officer is a huge milestone for Just Salad and for the restaurant sustainability movement at large,” said Nick Kenner, Just Salad’s CEO and founder, in a statement.
He noted that Just Salad calculates it has saved nearly 1 million pounds of plastic through its reusable bowl program.
“I’ve always wanted to go all in on sustainability,” Kenner added, “and Janani’s new role will finally make it a reality.”
In her new role, Lee will expand on Just Salad’s existing sustainability efforts and look for new opportunities in the business, including a transition to biodegradable fiber bowls and a composting program.
“Some might say sustainability is on-trend, but it’s been a core value at Just Salad since its founding in 2006,” Lee said. “We’re determined to become the gold standard of sustainability in the restaurant space and beyond.”
Just Salad introduced an eco-friendly design in 2016, the same year it received two rounds of investment from Panda Restaurant Group Inc.
Just Salad has locations in Chicago, New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia as well as abroad in Hong Kong and Dubai.
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