Cava Group

Cava Group is a United States restaurant company built around CAVA, a Mediterranean fast-casual concept offering customizable bowls, salads, pitas, dips, spreads, and other prepared foods. The business originated in 2006, when first-generation Greek Americans Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, and Dimitri Moshovitis opened the full-service Cava Mezze restaurant in Rockville, Maryland. Moshovitis served as executive chef, establishing a culinary identity centered on Greek and broader Eastern Mediterranean flavors. The founders expanded beyond table-service dining in 2008 by partnering with Geoff Maites and Kenny Maites to develop packaged Mediterranean dips and spreads. These products entered grocery distribution and eventually reached more than 200 stores, including Whole Foods Market. The packaged-food activity gave the company a second route to consumers and helped establish Cava as a recognizable food brand outside its restaurants. In 2009, Brett Schulman joined the business as chief executive officer and co-founder of the fast-casual operating company. The first Cava fast-casual restaurant opened in Bethesda, Maryland, in January 2011. The concept was initially known as Cava Mezze Grill and later as Cava Grill before adopting the shorter Cava or CAVA name. Its format emphasizes assembly-line customization, allowing customers to combine grains, greens, dips, spreads, proteins, toppings, and dressings. The chain is positioned between conventional fast food and full-service Mediterranean dining, with an emphasis on fresh preparation, menu personalization, and digitally enabled ordering. Cava Group expanded substantially through the acquisition of Zoës Kitchen. In 2018, the company acquired the publicly traded Mediterranean restaurant chain for approximately $300 million in total enterprise value. Zoës had more than 250 locations and gave Cava access to a larger suburban restaurant network, employees, operating infrastructure, and real-estate footprint. The acquisition was followed by a program of closing, converting, or replacing Zoës Kitchen restaurants with CAVA locations. Seven conversions had taken place in 2020, with further conversions planned for 2021; by May 2023, all Zoës Kitchen restaurants had reportedly either closed or been replaced by CAVA restaurants. Cava Group raised $190 million in a Series F financing round in April 2021, led by T. Rowe Price. The round valued the company at nearly $1.3 billion, and the company had raised more than $640 million since 2015 according to the cited reference material. Cava also developed off-premises and digital kitchens to support online orders and delivery-oriented demand. Its restaurants are company-owned rather than franchised, giving the group direct control over operations and the customer experience. On June 15, 2023, Cava Group became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CAVA. The public listing marked a major transition from venture-backed restaurant operator to listed growth company. The group continues to combine restaurant expansion with packaged grocery products, using the CAVA brand across physical restaurants, digital ordering channels, and retail food distribution. The available reference material describes the company as operating hundreds of restaurants in the United States, including 459 locations as of April 2026.

Cava Group traces its origins to a full-service Greek and Mediterranean restaurant opened in Rockville, Maryland, in 2006 by Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, and Dimitri Moshovitis. The founders were first-generation Greek Americans, and Moshovitis served as executive chef. Their initial restaurant established the culinary direction that later informed the company's fast-casual and packaged-food businesses. In 2008, the founders joined with Geoff Maites and Kenny Maites to create a line of Mediterranean dips and spreads. The products were distributed through grocery retailers and expanded to more than 200 stores, including Whole Foods Market. This retail business broadened the company's reach beyond restaurants and provided an early example of the Cava brand's use across multiple channels. Brett Schulman joined in 2009 as chief executive officer and co-founder of the fast-casual chain. The first fast-casual location opened in Bethesda, Maryland, in January 2011. Originally called Cava Mezze Grill, the restaurant concept was subsequently referred to as Cava Grill and ultimately shortened to Cava or CAVA. The format focused on customizable Mediterranean meals assembled to order. Customers could select combinations of grains, greens, proteins, dips, spreads, toppings, and dressings, creating a model suited to quick service and digital ordering. The company accelerated its scale through the acquisition of Zoës Kitchen. Cava Group acquired the publicly traded chain in 2018 for approximately $300 million in total enterprise value. Zoës had more than 250 restaurants and offered Cava a much larger operating base, particularly in suburban markets. After the transaction, Cava Group reduced the Zoës footprint through closures and conversions. Seven locations had been converted by 2020, additional conversions were planned for 2021, and by May 2023 the Zoës Kitchen restaurant network had reportedly disappeared as a distinct operating chain, with locations either closed or replaced by CAVA restaurants. Cava Group raised a $190 million Series F round in April 2021. The financing was led by T. Rowe Price and was reported to value the company at nearly $1.3 billion. The cited material also states that the group had raised more than $640 million since 2015. During this period, Cava expanded restaurant operations while investing in off-premises and digital kitchens for online orders. Unlike many restaurant chains, its restaurants were described as company-owned and not franchised. The company entered the public markets on June 15, 2023, when Cava Group began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CAVA. The listing formalized the transition from privately financed growth company to public restaurant operator. Cava Group's business remains centered on CAVA restaurants in the United States, supplemented by grocery products such as dips, spreads, and dressings. The reference material describes continued expansion to hundreds of company-operated restaurants, including 459 locations as of April 2026.

• 2023

  Cava Group goes public

  [1]Cava Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Cava Group begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CAVA on June 15.

• 2021

  Series F financing completed

  [1]Cava Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Cava Group completes a $190 million Series F financing round led by T. Rowe Price.

• 2018

  Zoës Kitchen acquired

  [1]Cava Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Cava Group acquires Zoës Kitchen for approximately $300 million in total enterprise value.

• 2011

  First fast-casual CAVA restaurant opens

  [1]Cava Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The first fast-casual location opens in Bethesda, Maryland, initially using the Cava Mezze Grill name.

• 2009

  Brett Schulman joins the company

  [1]Cava Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Brett Schulman joins as chief executive officer and co-founder of the fast-casual business.

• 2008

  Packaged dips and spreads launched

  [1]Cava Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The founders partner with Geoff Maites and Kenny Maites to develop Cava-branded Mediterranean grocery products.

• 2006

  Original Cava Mezze restaurant opens

  [1]Cava Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, and Dimitri Moshovitis open the first full-service Cava Mezze restaurant in Rockville, Maryland.

A company-owned, Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant platform combining customizable meals, digital ordering, and packaged grocery products.

• Fast-casual restaurants · 2011

  CAVA restaurants

  The company's core restaurant format serves customizable Mediterranean meals in a fast-casual setting. Guests can combine grains or greens with proteins, dips, spreads, toppings, and dressings. The format is designed for counter service, takeaway, delivery, and digital ordering, and Cava Group operates the restaurants directly rather than through franchised units.

• Packaged grocery food · 2008

  CAVA dips and spreads

  Cava's packaged-food line includes Mediterranean dips and spreads developed from the company's restaurant culinary identity. The products are sold through grocery channels in the United States and have been distributed through retailers including Whole Foods Market.

• Packaged grocery food

  CAVA dressings and sauces

  The grocery portfolio also includes dressings and related Mediterranean-style condiments. These products extend the CAVA proposition into at-home consumption and complement the restaurant menu.

• Acquired restaurant brand

  Zoës Kitchen

  Zoës Kitchen was a Mediterranean restaurant chain acquired by Cava Group in 2018. Following the acquisition, the group progressively closed or converted its locations, and the available reference material states that no Zoës Kitchen restaurants remained as a distinct operating chain by May 2023.

• 2023

  Public-market debutOther

  Background

  After years of private financing and expansion, Cava Group moved to the public markets.

  Action taken

  Cava Group listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CAVA on June 15, 2023.

  Aftermath

  The listing made Cava Group a publicly traded restaurant company and provided a public-market platform for future growth.

  Source

• 2021

  Series F growth financingStrategy

  Background

  Cava Group raised capital to support continued restaurant growth and development of its operating platform.

  Action taken

  The company completed a $190 million Series F round led by T. Rowe Price.

  Aftermath

  The financing reportedly placed the company at a valuation of nearly $1.3 billion.

  Series F financing. $190 million (April 2021)

  Source

• 2020

  Conversion of Zoës Kitchen locations to CAVAStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring Zoës Kitchen, Cava Group evaluated the acquired restaurant network as a means of accelerating CAVA's geographic expansion.

  Action taken

  The company converted seven Zoës Kitchen locations to CAVA restaurants in 2020 and announced plans for additional conversions.

  Aftermath

  The conversion strategy ultimately led to the closure or replacement of all Zoës Kitchen restaurants by May 2023, according to the reference material.

  Source

• 2018

  Acquisition of Zoës KitchenM&A

  Background

  Cava Group sought to expand its Mediterranean restaurant platform and suburban operating footprint through the purchase of Zoës Kitchen.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Zoës Kitchen in a transaction with approximately $300 million in total enterprise value.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition increased Cava Group's restaurant base and was followed by a program of closures and conversions to the CAVA brand.

  Total enterprise value. $300 million (2018)

  Source

1. 1Cava Groupen.wikipedia.org