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Sweetgreen agrees to change burrito bowl name in wake of Chipotle Mexican Grill suitSweetgreen agrees to change burrito bowl name in wake of Chipotle Mexican Grill suit

Sweetgreen has reached a ‘tentative agreement’ with Chipotle and the lawsuit has been dropped

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

April 6, 2023

2 Min Read
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Joanna Fantozzi

Following news of Tuesday’s trademark violation lawsuit Chipotle Mexican Grill filed against Sweetgreen for naming and marketing its new burrito bowl too similarly to Chipotle, Sweetgreen has agreed to change the name of the menu item, and the lawsuit has been dropped.

According to Los Angeles-based salad brand Sweetgreen, the company has reached a “tentative agreement” with the burrito bowl chain, which includes renaming its new menu item from “Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl” to the “Chicken Chipotle Pepper Bowl.”

“In order to focus on the business and continue serving our guests without distraction, we have decided to rename our bowl […],” Sweetgreen said in an emailed statement. “Our mission is to bring customers healthy, elevated and craveable menu items that make you feel good. We are looking forward to putting this lawsuit behind us as we continue to connect more people to real food.”

Sweetgreen declined to give further details on the other terms of the agreement with Chipotle, though they likely have to do with the marketing of the item, which was part of the original complaint.

“We are pleased that Sweetgreen has chosen to amend their materials in a manner that protects our trademarks and intellectual property, and therefore, we have both agreed to resolve the pending lawsuit,” Laurie Schalow, chief corporate affairs officer with Chipotle said in an emailed statement. “We will continue our vigilance in protecting our intellectual property in the marketplace.”

Related:Chipotle sues Sweetgreen over its new Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl

The lawsuit, which originally asked for a court order that blocks Sweetgreen from using the Chipotle name and seeks an unspecified amount in damages, has since been dropped in order to resolve the matter between the two companies without the need of a court decision.  

Sweetgreen’s new Chicken Chipotle Pepper Bowl is made with the flavor of Chipotle peppers, along with blackened chicken, roasted chipotle Salsa, wild rice, cilantro lime black beans, sliced tomatoes, and cabbage.

Sweetgreen’s stock is back up to normal levels after initially falling $1.38 following the initial lawsuit.

Contact Joanna at [email protected]   

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About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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