Sweetgreen adds fries to the menu at restaurants nationwide

• The chain, headquartered in Los Angeles, has been broadening its menu and opening restaurants beyond its traditional target area in central business districts.

The big picture: Sweetgreen says it's the first national brand to offer air-fried fries that are prepared without seed oils.

• Ripple fries are made with five simple ingredients, including avocado oil, Nicolas Jammet, Sweetgreen co-founder and chief concept officer, told Axios.
• The fries, which were tested in Los Angeles restaurants, come with a choice of two new housemade sauces: Garlic Aioli and Pickle Ketchup.

What they're saying: "As we look at our core categories of salads, bowls and plates — and more people engaging with Sweetgreen at dinner — we really got excited about a really craveable side dish or shareable that can sit next to those things," Jammet said.

• "We didn't see any options in the national fast-food landscape that had fries that were a little more conscious," Jammet said, adding the company wanted to create a "product that actually made you feel good and that you could feel good about eating."
• "This launch is another step forward in redefining what fast food can be," Jammet said.

Kelly's taste test: Sweetgreen gave Axios an early taste of the Ripple Fries and both sauces.

• The crispy potatoes had the perfect amount of seasoning and the freshness shined through.
• The pickle ketchup was my favorite sauce and the fries complimented my bowl.

Flashback: The first Sweetgreen opened in 2007 on M Street in Washington, D.C.

• It's more than doubled its store count since the start of the pandemic, growing from 103 in early 2020 to more than 240 locations.
• Last May, Sweetgreen added its first red meat option Caramelized Garlic Steak to the menu.

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