Sweetgreen Sets Arkansas Debut

Sweetgreen (Los Angeles) is adding another state to its expansion plans: Arkansas. The restaurant chain will open its first locale in the state in Fayetteville later this year, followed by a second one at Walmart’s recently opened Home Office in Bentonville.

Those locations are part of a broader national expansion by Sweetgreen, with new markets including Sacramento, Phoenix and Cincinnati on the horizon for 2025. The brand is looking to grow its footprint by 15% to 20% annually, with plans to open at least 40 new restaurants this year, including 20 featuring its proprietary automated Infinite Kitchen technology.

As for its foray into Arkansas, Sweetgreen said its locale Fayetteville will be in the South Yard adaptive-reuse development, and will have just over 2400 square feet of space. The Bentonville location will occupy 3275 square feet within Walmart’s new Home Office complex, at SE 8th St.

“Northwest Arkansas is quickly becoming a hub for innovation and growth, and we’re excited to be part of it,” said said Christopher Tarrant, Chief Development Officer at Sweetgreen, which currently has 250-plus locales nationwide. “Opening on Walmart’s forward-thinking Home Office campus and in Fayetteville, home of the University of Arkansas, is a meaningful milestone for our brand, and we’re looking forward to serving these communities with fresh, real food.”