Salad chain Sweetgreen accused of ‘stealing’ clothing brands idea: “Sweetgreed”

As a long-time fan of both Sweetgreen and Market, I must say this situation has left me rather green with envy (pun intended). From what I gather, it seems that Sweetgreen may have taken an idea that was initially pitched by Market for a potential collaboration. While Sweetgreen is known for their delicious salads, they’ve also made a name for themselves in the merchandise world, and it appears they’ve done so again with their Kale Camo line.

The clothing company Market claims that Sweetgreen copied the concept of their Kale Camo product line, and they have evidence to back up this accusation.

In simpler terms, Mike Cherman – the founder of fashion label Market – claims that salad chain Sweetgreen has stolen an idea that he and his team had proposed for a joint project in the past.

Even though it’s primarily a salad bar chain, Sweetgreen has gained recognition for its unique merchandise as well. The company frequently introduces a fresh collection every year, which usually sells out quickly.

In 2024, Sweetgreen unveiled a fresh Kale Camo apparel range. The assortment encompasses an array of clothing pieces like hoodies, sweatpants, along with innovative hat models, totes, and additional items.

It’s time to get ready and style up! Check out the Kale Camo Hoodie, our latest collaboration with @EVERYBODY_WORLD. These durable essentials are eco-friendly and super trendy for your wardrobe.
You can grab it in The Market 🥬
— sweetgreen (@sweetgreen) November 12, 2024

Michael Kotick, SVP and Head of Marketing at Sweetgreen, stated that we strive to foster experiences and connections between individuals and local communities at Sweetgreen,” is one way to paraphrase the original statement while maintaining its meaning in a natural, easy-to-read manner.

With this assortment, we’ve tried to embody the charm that Sweetgreen admirers appreciate. We wish it brings a spark of happiness during the upcoming festive days.

Shortly following Sweetgreen’s unveiling of their latest merchandise line, Cherman and Market swiftly posted on Instagram, alleging that they had proposed a collaboration concept to Sweetgreen, only for them to apparently copy it instead.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by MICHAEL CHERMAN (@mikecherman)

Wow, I can’t believe it! The Instagram post I shared, with its stunning visuals spread across several slides, has gained an astounding 23,000 likes in just under a day. That’s way more than Sweetgreen’s own announcement post could manage! It seems the community is really engaged and eager to learn about the situation. What a fantastic response!

In September 2023, the fashion label shared details about their original proposal for a “Kale Camo” sweatsuit concept. However, following their collaboration pitch to Sweetgreen, they didn’t receive any response in return.

Indeed, the Instagram post showcases pictures from their original pitch as well as emails exchanged since September 2023, which are visible in a series of screenshots.

On the last presentation point, Market criticized Sweetgreen for generating over $700 million in revenue, while allegedly taking their innovative concepts without offering fair remuneration.

The comments area beneath Market’s post is overflowing with users criticizing the salad chain. One critic referred to the situation as “theft,” while another commented, “You certainly exposed them. Unfair, I must say.” Another user described them as “Greedysweet.

As of this writing, Sweetgreen has not yet responded to claims that they copied the idea for their latest Kale Camo collaboration from Market.

2024-11-14 08:48

Salad chain Sweetgreen accused of ‘stealing’ clothing brands idea: “Sweetgreed”

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