I'm curious about your thoughts right now. Chipotle obviously had a lot of issues in the past. If I remember correctly, it started at the end of 2015 or 2016. So, it's been almost 10 years already. How would you assess how the risk of food safety issues has evolved in the industry? Do you think it's just as likely now, or has there been significant technological advancement that reduces the risk of such incidents, whether at Chipotle or Cava? What do you think about that?

I think Chipotle was an eye-opener for the entire industry. If you go back to when I started working in the industry 30 years ago, it was Jack in the Box. People still talk about Jack in the Box and concerns about raw hamburger and similar issues. So, I would say that when Chipotle had their issue, they pivoted by bringing in a strong advisory committee. They have an oversight committee that still exists today, where they meet with their Cava executives and provide direction to help rebuild their food safety programs to ensure they are airtight.

I'm curious about your thoughts right now. Chipotle obviously had a lot of issues in the past. If I remember correctly, it started at the end of 2015 or 2016. So, it's been almost 10 years already. How would you assess how the risk of food safety issues has evolved in the industry? Do you think it's just as likely now, or has there been significant technological advancement that reduces the risk of such incidents, whether at Chipotle or Cava? What do you think about that?

Cava had the opportunity early on to understand the risks and to build their programs earlier in the process. This helps them avoid some of the same challenges that Chipotle faced as they grew. The challenge for Cava, as they grow rapidly, is to ensure their products are safe and their processes are airtight. They face higher exposure in an industry with over 125% annual turnover, which applies to any fast-casual or fast-food restaurant operation. Therefore, training must be effective and understandable.

Completely comparable to Chipotle, then.

Very comparable to Chipotle. I know they use some frozen products for a couple of their entrée items. But the products that Cava and Chipotle use come from the same manufacturer.