Sweetgreen is embracing the height of summer with the nationwide launch of its limited-time Alice Waters’ Peach & Goat Cheese Salad, a seasonal offering that showcases the rich flavors of ripe peaches at their peak. Available from July 7 through August 10, 2026, the new menu item is part of the company’s “You Wait for This” summer campaign, which celebrates the fleeting moments when fresh seasonal produce reaches its best flavor.
More than just a seasonal menu addition, the salad honors renowned chef, author, and food activist Alice Waters, whose lifelong advocacy for organic farming, locally sourced ingredients, and seasonal cooking has inspired generations of chefs, farmers, and food lovers. Sweetgreen’s collaboration with Waters also extends beyond the kitchen, supporting The Edible Schoolyard Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching children about food, nature, and community through hands-on educational experiences.
Celebrating Summer’s Most Anticipated Fruit
Every summer, certain fruits capture the attention of food lovers, and peaches are among the most eagerly awaited. Their naturally sweet flavor, juicy texture, and short harvest season make them a true symbol of summer. Sweetgreen’s latest seasonal menu is designed around this anticipation, encouraging customers to enjoy ingredients exactly when they taste their best.
Earlier in the season, Sweetgreen highlighted ripe summer tomatoes in its menu. As the calendar progresses, the focus naturally shifts to peaches, another ingredient that is only available at its peak for a limited period. The Alice Waters’ Peach & Goat Cheese Salad reflects the company’s philosophy of aligning its menu with nature’s harvest cycles rather than offering the same ingredients year-round.
By embracing seasonal availability, Sweetgreen aims to deliver ingredients at their freshest while strengthening relationships with farmers who specialize in high-quality produce.
A Fresh Combination of Seasonal Ingredients
The Alice Waters’ Peach & Goat Cheese Salad combines premium ingredients chosen to complement the sweetness of fresh peaches while offering a balance of textures and flavors.
The salad features:
- Organic arugula
- Organic spring mix
- Fresh seasonal peaches
- Creamy goat cheese
- Crisp cucumbers
- Fresh basil
- Fresh mint
- Roasted almonds
- Lemon tarragon vinaigrette
- Garlic Parmesan crunch
Each ingredient contributes to the salad’s distinctive profile. The juicy peaches provide natural sweetness, while the tangy goat cheese adds richness. Fresh herbs introduce aromatic brightness, cucumbers deliver refreshing crunch, and almonds create a satisfying texture. The lemon tarragon vinaigrette ties everything together with citrus notes, while the garlic Parmesan crunch offers a savory finishing touch.
The result is a balanced dish that captures the flavors of summer in every bite.
Alice Waters’ Lifelong Passion for Seasonal Food
Alice Waters has spent decades encouraging people to appreciate fresh, locally grown ingredients. Through her restaurant, books, and educational initiatives, she has become one of the most influential voices in sustainable food systems.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Waters shared her admiration for the humble peach and its remarkable ability to connect people.
She described the experience of tasting a perfectly ripe peach as transformative, explaining that peaches have long served as her “diplomatic calling card,” whether shared with presidents or schoolchildren. According to Waters, few foods capture the essence of seasonal eating quite like a perfectly ripened peach.
Her philosophy has always emphasized simplicity—allowing exceptional ingredients to shine without unnecessary complexity. That same philosophy is reflected throughout Sweetgreen’s seasonal menu.
Sweetgreen Honors a Culinary Pioneer
For Sweetgreen, the collaboration represents more than simply creating another limited-time salad. It serves as recognition of Alice Waters’ influence on the company’s own approach to food.
Zipporah Allen, Sweetgreen’s Chief Commercial Officer, explained that the salad celebrates everything that makes summer special: produce harvested at its peak, trusted farming partners, and thoughtfully prepared meals.
She also noted that Waters has spent decades advocating for organic agriculture, local sourcing, and direct relationships between farmers and consumers. Those values continue to shape Sweetgreen’s culinary philosophy today.
The collaboration also highlights Sweetgreen’s broader commitment to building a food system that values freshness, sustainability, and responsible sourcing.
“Letters to Alice” Honors Her Lasting Influence
To accompany the seasonal launch, Sweetgreen is introducing “Letters to Alice,” a creative storytelling initiative celebrating Waters’ lasting impact on food and agriculture.
The campaign includes a printed zine along with a social media series featuring personal reflections from chefs and culinary leaders who have been inspired by Waters throughout their careers.
The series begins with a tribute from Sweetgreen co-founder Nicolas Jammet, who reflects on Waters’ influence on the company’s founding vision and its dedication to seasonal ingredients.
Jammet also shares the story of how Alice Waters introduced Sweetgreen to the peaches that eventually inspired the brand’s now-popular seasonal peach salad tradition.
Future installments of the series will feature stories, memories, and photographs from respected chefs whose own culinary philosophies have been shaped by Waters’ pioneering work.
Supporting Regional Farmers
The success of a seasonal menu depends heavily on the quality of its agricultural partners.
Sweetgreen works with a network of regional growers to source fresh produce as close as possible to its restaurants. One of the most notable partners involved in this year’s peach season is Frog Hollow Farm, located in Brentwood, California.
The organic farm supplies peaches to Sweetgreen restaurants across Northern and Southern California during the height of the harvest season.
According to Lael Gerhart, Director of Engagement at Frog Hollow Farm, the partnership celebrates one of summer’s greatest pleasures—fresh peaches harvested at their peak.
Gerhart explained that customers enjoying Frog Hollow Farm peaches are experiencing fruit grown through careful soil stewardship and farming practices focused on maximizing flavor rather than simply increasing yield.
The partnership reflects Sweetgreen’s continued emphasis on supporting farms that prioritize sustainability, soil health, and exceptional produce quality.
Supporting Food Education Through The Edible Schoolyard Project
The collaboration extends beyond seasonal dining by supporting food education for children.
As part of the campaign, Sweetgreen will donate 1% of the net purchase price from every Alice Waters’ Peach & Goat Cheese Salad sold between July 7 and August 10, 2026, excluding taxes, processing fees, discounts, and refunds.
The company has committed to a minimum donation of $25,000 and a maximum donation of $50,000 to The Edible Schoolyard Project.
Founded by Alice Waters, the nonprofit uses organic school gardens, kitchen classrooms, and cafeterias to teach students where food comes from while fostering healthy eating habits, environmental stewardship, and stronger community connections.
Through hands-on experiences, students learn not only how food is grown but also how preparing and sharing meals can strengthen relationships with both people and nature.
Sweetgreen’s support helps further these educational programs while reinforcing its own mission of connecting people to real, seasonal food.
Limited-Time Summer Menu
The Alice Waters’ Peach & Goat Cheese Salad joins Sweetgreen’s broader Summer 2026 menu, which also includes the Picnic Bowl and the Summer Market Bowl. Together, these offerings highlight fresh, seasonal ingredients available during the warmest months of the year.
Because peaches are only available during a short harvest window, the salad will remain on menus nationwide for just over a month. This limited availability reinforces Sweetgreen’s commitment to serving ingredients when they naturally reach their highest quality rather than relying on year-round sourcing.
A Seasonal Celebration with Lasting Impact
Sweetgreen’s latest collaboration demonstrates how seasonal dining can celebrate exceptional ingredients while supporting farmers, culinary traditions, and community education. By combining peak-season peaches, thoughtfully selected ingredients, and Alice Waters’ enduring philosophy of fresh, local food, the Alice Waters’ Peach & Goat Cheese Salad offers customers a distinctly summer dining experience.
Beyond its vibrant flavors, the campaign reflects a broader commitment to sustainability, responsible sourcing, and food education. Through its partnership with The Edible Schoolyard Project and regional growers like Frog Hollow Farm, Sweetgreen continues to show that seasonal menus can deliver meaningful impact both on and off the plate.
Available nationwide through August 10, 2026, the Alice Waters’ Peach & Goat Cheese Salad invites guests to savor one of summer’s most treasured ingredients while contributing to a mission that connects people, farms, and communities through fresh food.
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