CAVA, the trailblazing fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant brand, has released its inaugural Impact Report, a comprehensive reflection of the company’s purpose-led approach to business. Organized around three foundational pillars—Heart, Health, and Humanity—the report highlights the ways in which CAVA is embedding its mission into every facet of operations, from food sourcing and environmental stewardship to team member development and community partnerships.
Rooted in the rich traditions and cultural warmth of the Mediterranean lifestyle, CAVA’s impact framework is more than just a corporate social responsibility initiative—it is an integrated strategy that informs business decisions, employee engagement, customer experience, and long-term growth.
“At CAVA, impact isn’t something we add on later—it’s built into everything we do,” said Brett Schulman, co-founder and CEO of CAVA. “Our mission to bring heart, health, and humanity to food is at the center of that, shaping how we support our team, serve our guests, and engage with our communities. This report reflects the intentional work happening across CAVA every day and the responsibility we feel to keep pushing ourselves to do better, together.”
HEART: Fostering a Culture of Connection and Empowerment
CAVA believes in the transformative power of human connection, and in 2024, the company focused on nurturing relationships within its teams and communities.
- Through its CAVA Competency Champion Training, the company trained over 3,200 team members via 150+ workshops nationwide. The program empowers Area Leaders and General Managers to mentor and elevate team talent with a focus on leadership development.
- CAVA provided a broad range of employee benefits to support well-being, such as tuition discounts, adoption and family planning assistance, and mental health resources—underscoring its commitment to caring for team members both inside and outside the workplace.
- The company also championed inclusivity through its Allies in Motion (AIM) initiative, a company-wide inclusion group that hosted 38 events in 2024 to promote allyship, empathy, and workplace belonging.
- Two unique internal programs—Shoulder-to-Shoulder and Centering at the Source—strengthened the relationship between Support Center staff and frontline restaurant employees. These initiatives build empathy and improve the guest experience by creating hands-on learning exchanges and celebrating top performers.
HEALTH: Offering Wholesome Food with Sustainable Purpose
True to its Mediterranean roots, CAVA is committed to nourishing people with delicious, healthful food that supports both individual and planetary wellness.
- As part of its resource-conscious innovation, CAVA upcycles ingredients. A notable example: the aquafaba (chickpea water) left over from falafel production is now used as an emulsifier in the brand’s signature garlic dressing—its most popular offering.
- The company maintains long-term partnerships with trusted suppliers, including Manoli Canoli, an olive oil producer from Sparta, Greece, and Damascus Bakeries, its pita partner in Brooklyn, New York, to ensure ingredient quality and authenticity.
- Environmental restoration efforts are also in motion. CAVA is leading a multi-year conservation project near its Verona, Virginia, manufacturing facility to restore five acres of Piedmont Savannah habitat, revitalizing biodiversity and supporting wildlife.
- In its restaurants, CAVA is piloting guest-facing waste stations and evaluating eco-friendly packaging alternatives, including compostable and marine-degradable utensils, to further reduce environmental impact.
HUMANITY: Building Bridges Between People, Purpose, and Community
CAVA’s commitment to humanity is reflected in its actions to uplift communities, reduce food waste, and foster meaningful connections through its growth.
- In 2024, CAVA helped serve over 42,000 meals to those facing food insecurity through partnerships with local food banks.
- The company implemented smarter production planning strategies to reduce food waste, supported by pilot programs using generative AI tools for demand forecasting.
- A new collaboration with Too Good To Go, an app that connects surplus food with consumers, helped reduce excess food waste at 49 restaurants, while raising funds for local nonprofits.
- CAVA embraced its expansion as an opportunity to give back. It hosted 59 Community Days tied to new restaurant openings, donating proceeds and meals to organizations across the country. Since 2022, the company has contributed over $1.2 million in food and financial donations.
“Serving bold, Mediterranean flavors and warm hospitality is at the heart of what we do,” said Jenny Roberts, CAVA’s Senior Director of Sustainability and Sourcing. “But true stewardship means going further—honoring the people who make our work possible and making choices that sustain our communities and planet for the long term. We’re proud of the foundation we’ve laid and committed to ensuring our impact grows along with us.”
As CAVA continues its expansion, the company’s inaugural Impact Report signals its long-term dedication to responsible growth—showing how thoughtful business practices rooted in heart, health, and humanity can drive performance while benefiting people and the planet.
About CAVA
CAVA is the category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, bringing together healthful food and bold, satisfying flavors at scale. Our brand and our opportunity transcend the Mediterranean category to compete in the large and growing limited-service restaurant sector as well as the health and wellness food category. CAVA serves guests across gender lines, age groups, and income levels and benefits from generational tailwinds created by consumer demand for healthy living and a demographic shift towards greater ethnic diversity. We meet consumers’ desires to engage with convenient, authentic, purpose-driven brands that view food as a source of self-expression. The broad appeal of our food combined with these favorable industry trends drive our vast opportunity for continued growth.
