Cava CEO on Cyclospora, Dining Trends and Growth Outlook
Speakers
Brett Schulman
— Co-Founder and CEO, Cava
Summary
Cava CEO Brett Schulman discusses the company's strong quarter, its clean supply chain amid the cyclospora outbreak, and consumer shifts toward Mediterranean/health-focused dining. He also highlights digital and physical channel growth, menu innovation, and a deliberate underpricing strategy. The comments are broadly supportive of Cava's growth outlook.
- Cava reported 9% comp growth above estimates and maintained full-year guidance.
- Management says Cava's supply chain has no connection to the cyclospora outbreak and no health officials have contacted the company.
- Consumers are trading into Cava from full-service restaurants, limited-service restaurants, and grocery stores.
- Mediterranean diet popularity and GLP-1/health trends are cited as structural demand drivers.
- Digital sales reached 39% of revenue, with investment in both digital and physical channels.
- Premium menu items like salmon and attachments are supporting sales.
- Cava is underpricing inflation to strengthen guest value and traffic.
- Restaurant-level margin fell 60 basis points due to cost/inflation pressures.
Ideas
Cava insulated from cyclospora food-safety outbreak.
Consumers are trading into Cava from full-service restaurants, other limited-service restaurants and grocery stores because the food is differentiated and not easily recreated at home; Mediterranean diet is the top-ranked diet for nine years, and GLP-1/health/wellness trends are structural, moving more people toward Cava's protein-dense, fiber-rich cuisine. Premium attachments such as salmon support sales.
Up Next
This Bloomberg Markets video, published August 12, 2026, features Brett Schulman discussing CAVA. 1 trade idea extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.
Speakers: Brett Schulman · Tickers: CAVA