Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand CAVA has marked a major milestone in its national rollout with the opening of a new location in Minneapolis. The restaurant at 622 Washington Avenue SE represents the company's first entry into Minnesota and coincides with CAVA reaching the 500-restaurant mark across its system.
The Minneapolis opening expands CAVA's geographic footprint to 30 states and the District of Columbia, highlighting the brand's broad national reach. The company is using this new restaurant as a symbolic benchmark for its growth trajectory, underscoring how quickly it has scaled since launching its fast-casual format.
CAVA opened its first fast-casual restaurant in 2011 and has since spent 15 years building out its presence across the United States. According to the company, it is currently ahead of schedule relative to its long-term expansion targets and now expects to surpass its previously stated goal of operating 1,000 restaurants by 2032.
Brett Schulman, co-founder and CEO of CAVA, described the 500-restaurant milestone as a defining moment for the brand. He attributed the achievement to the efforts of the company's workforce and to the reception CAVA has received from guests nationwide. Schulman also pointed to the company's emphasis on food and hospitality as key factors supporting its expansion.
The company reports that more than 15,000 team members currently work across its restaurant network. As CAVA continues opening new locations in additional markets, it expects its workforce to grow significantly. The company projects that it will employ more than 30,000 people by 2032, in line with its plans to more than double its restaurant count over that period.
CAVA's entrance into Minnesota via the Minneapolis restaurant adds another state to its operating platform while supporting the broader strategy of building density across a wide range of U.S. markets. The new location and associated employment growth form part of the company's long-term plan to scale its fast-casual concept nationally.
