With food-safety concerns swirling, CAVA CEO Brett Schulman says the industry must hold suppliers to high standards and adhere to rock-solid safety protocols.

Why it matters: Recent outbreaks of salmonella and cyclospora have sickened thousands of Americans, calling attention to the vulnerability of the food supply chain.

📈 Driving the news: Schulman acknowledged today in an Axios interview that "there's just broader concerns around leafy greens" that temporarily dampened CAVA sales in recent weeks — but he said traffic is bouncing back and that the Mediterranean fast-casual chain's food has not been affected.

• In its second quarter — which ended around the time the cyclospora outbreak began in July — CAVA showed significant growth, delivering a 9% same-store sales increase.
• That was higher than the 7.2% growth expected by S&P Global Capital IQ.
• Customer traffic at comparable restaurants grew 5.3%.

😬 The big picture: CAVA's stock is down 16% over the last month as investors fret about customers shying away from vegetables.

• Schulman confirmed that CAVA sources certain products from Taylor Farms — the supplier of the since-recalled iceberg lettuce linked to the cyclospora outbreak — but said "we do not source any ingredients from Taylor Farms-impacted facilities or farms, and we do not source from Taylor Farms Mexico," the source of the iceberg lettuce recall on July 17.

The bottom line: The safety concerns show why "it's more important than ever that the restaurant industry — working with the supply chain along with our governmental partners — continue to drive clear and transparent communication to restore that trust and strengthen that trust with guests," Schulman said.

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Men can now make the first move on Bumble, ending the longstanding rule that only women can initiate a conversation on the dating app.

Why it matters: Bumble has been struggling to get its groove back in the ever-evolving dating landscape, with its stock down 56% over the last year.

State of play: Bumble — which is under pressure to win back Gen Zers who are exhausted with dating apps — said today that it's making the change in part to appease younger folks.

• Many women "appreciate the flexibility for men to start the conversation," the company said in a statement, citing internal research.

Zoom in: The move comes after Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said in May on "The Axios Show" that the company would eliminate the swipe feature and hinted at a shift away from the women-must-message-first rule.

• "We will not force one gender over another to do something first," Wolfe Herd told Axios' Sara Fischer.

💭 Nathan's thought bubble: Love isn't a one-way street, so this makes some sense — but Bumble is risking losing its competitive differentiation.

🤖 Super Micro Computer cited strong demand for its AI-optimized servers and forecast fiscal 2027 revenue above expectations, sending shares up over 8% this afternoon in extended trading. (Reuters)

🎯 Target named former Lowe's exec Chandhu Nair as its first chief AI officer. The company is aiming to use AI for various functions, such as predicting style trends, improving inventory management and simplifying work processes. (Quartz)

A pizza by its nature is meant to be shared. That's no longer good for business, according to Domino's.

• The country's largest pizza chain is introducing the Domino, a pizza specifically marketed as "made for one," Axios' Pete Gannon writes.

Zoom in: Domino's says the new offering fills a gap in its portfolio, and caters to the demands of today's "modern pizza occasion."

• It addresses two trends:
• 👤 More and more people in the U.S. are eating alone, per WSJ, with over 4 in 10 food-service meals eaten solo over the last 12 months through June.
• 🙅 Even when people are eating as a group they want their own food, Domino's says, a finding gleaned from thousands of interviews it conducted over the last two years.

🤝 Between the lines: Ordering a large pizza is a negotiation, too often requiring compromise and sacrifice, the chain found — a reality that drives would-be customers to burgers and burritos.