Question 1: Selection and description of the company that operates solely in the USA and is ready to expand globally
Sweetgreen is a restaurant chain in the US where people can quickly get different kinds of salads. It first opened in 2006. The major aim of this company is to make stronger communities by connecting people to real and healthy foods. They saw an opportunity to create a business that values quality. They work with more than 200 people in the food business across the country, from farmers to bakers (Sweetgreen, 2025). Their core values guide their action. They aim to empower their team members, customers, and partners and create a positive workforce in the food system. This company currently operates 246 locations across major US cities. They built a strong reputation for their food quality and transparency.
Sweetgreen has the potential for worldwide expansion since its value offer is consistent with global consumer trends. It has been noticed that many foreign countries demand health-focused, plant-based meals, which strengthens the value of the company. Now, customers are more concerned about nutrition and sustainability (Pasupuleti et al. 2024, p.90). The company's emphasis on responsible sourcing, little food waste, and easy menu design creates a scalable model that can be designed for regional preferences. Sweetgreen's strong brand identity helps to explore its business globally. They have operational efficiency and expert group scaling across multiple US locations, which serves as a good basis for expanding into other markets. They have a high chance of succeeding in the global restaurant business.
Question 2: Explanation of what type of global expansion is considered as the CEO of the chosen company
As the CEO at Sweetgreen, it must need to choose fully own a subsidiary through Foreign Direct Investment as plan to expand to other countries. Using this plan, Sweetgreen can make sure every aspect of the brand is covered. Through this, it determines the sources of the ingredients, the way technology will be applied, and their customers' feelings. These continue to represent the value of the company (Adeniran et al. 2024, p.870). Sweetgreen always focuses on the best quality ingredients for its customers. They focus on sustainability and ensuring to serve high-quality food. This structure demonstrates that the subsidiary must comply with the regulations of its home country. Wholly owned subsidiary allows Sweetgreen to directly manage its local suppliers. They adjust operational processes to regional requirements and customize menu items to cultural tastes while maintaining the brand’s crucial morality.
Question 3: Analyze and explain what needs to be changed or modified before the global expansion
Value Chain Element | What will need to be changed or modified before the global expansion |
Strategy | Sweetgreen need to redesign its overall marketing strategy for its international market entry. |
Resources | The allocation of the resources needs to expand, as it supports new locations and different supply chains. |
Leadership | Leadership roles must include global executives who understand regional regulations and cultural differences. |
Sustainability | It must be adapted to regional farming practices and environmental laws. |
Ethics | Sweetgreen’s ethical guidelines should be set based on global labor standards. |
Governance | Governance policies must be updated for international legal compliance and reporting (Joseph, 2024, p.90). |
Risk management | It would address the current risks, the political stability of the new region, and its food-safety rules. |
R&D | Based on the local preference, Sweetgreen need to modify its menu. |
Innovation | Sweetgreen modify their menu based on local taste. The company should also explore digital innovation by improving their mobile ordering features and loyalty programs that align regional consumer behavior. |
Technology | Sweetgreen’s digital platforms must support new languages, payment systems, and data privacy. |
Supply Chain | The supply chain must be rebuilt through local sourcing network to ensure freshness of the food and meet regulation. |
HRM | Sweetgreen would hire the candidate and provide training based on global labor laws. |
Operations | Operations must follow local laws to maintain safety and legal procedures. |
Finance | Their product pricing must be adjusted based on the new country’s currency value. |
Marketing | Sweetgreen use localized campaigns to promote their brand. They need to use digital promotion partnerships and culturally aligned branding. |
Sales | Sales strategies must be adapted to regional customer behavior and competitive environment (Gupta et al. 2024, p.77). |
Service | Service standards must be modified to reflect cultural expectations around hospitality. |
Quality Management | Quality controls must change based on local regulatory agencies and ingredient standards. |
Performance | Performance metrics must be redesigned to measure success across regions. |
Learning & Development | Sweetgreen need to provide training to be aware of the new culture and international operational skills. |
Customer Experience | Customer experience design must adjust to local dining habits. |
Question 4: Explanation of what decisions may need to be made, by whom, and for what reason concerning the 21 elements
Value Chain Area | Who makes the Decision? | What decisions may need to be taken | Reason |
Business strategy | CEO & Board of Directors of the company | They together set the entire plan of the global expansion strategy for Sweetgreen. | To ensure long-term sustainability. |
Resources | CEO & CFO | They allocate financial and operational resources. | To support international growth. |
Leadership | CEO | For global operation, he describes the leadership roles. | To guide teams through expansion. |
Sustainability | Sustainability Officer | They update sustainability standards for new markets (Nosike et al. 2024, p.110). | To maintain the brand value. |
ethics | Compliance officer | They establish ethical guidelines for global operations. | To prevent violations and protect reputation. |
Governance | Board | The board updates governance structures for foreign markets. | To ensure operation. |
Risk management | Risk manager | They assess and prepare for global operational risks. | To reduce disruptions and financial loss. |
R&D | Chief Innovation Officer | According to the local taste, they adjust their menu. | To increase product acceptance. |
Innovation | Chief Innovation Officer | They design innovations for new markets | To keep the brand competitive. |
Technology | CTO | They help to adapt digital systems and app functions. | To ensure functionality across countries. |
Supply Chain | COO | They build international sourcing networks (Usman et al. 2024, p.90). | To maintain freshness and quality standards. |
HRM | CHRO | They design global hiring and training processes. | To ensure service consistency. |
Operations | COO | They modify store operations for regional regulations. | To ensure efficiency and compliance. |
Finance | CFO | They manage budgeting and investment decisions | To ensure financial stability during expansion. |
Marketing | CMO | They create international marketing strategies | To build brand awareness in new markets. |
Sales | CMO | They adapt sales strategies to local consumer behavior. | To increase customer acquisition. |
Service | Customer Service Director | They define global service expectations. | To ensure positive customer experiences. |
Quality Management | Quality Director | They set quality and food safety standards. | To protect the brand and meet regulations. |
Performance | COO & CFO | They track performance metrics for new markets. | To evaluate success and improvements. |
Learning & Development | CHRO | They create global training and development programs. | To prepare employees for new operations. |
Customer Experience | CMO | They design the customer experience for international stores | To maintain brand consistency and satisfaction. |
Question 5: Explanation of how the 21 Value Chain elements are interrelated concerning the global expansion
Value Chain Group | Interrelationship Explanation |
Inputs (strategy, Resources, leadership, sustainability, Ethics, governance, Risk) | These elements function together because strategy guides resource allocation. Leadership offers direction and governance, ethics, sustainability, and risk management to ensure that global decisions are responsible and compliant. |
Throughputs (R&D, Innovation, Technology, Supply Chain, HRM, Operations, Finance) | These elements depend on the inputs since research, innovation, technology, operations, and financial planning all follow the strategy and standards established at the input stage (Celestin & Sujatha, 2024, p.99). Each throughput has an impact on the others, particularly in the supply chain, HR department, and operations. |
Output (marketing, Sales, Service, Quality, Performance, Learning, Customer Experience) | These outputs depend on high capacity since operations, human resources, technology, and innovation all influence marketing, service, quality, and customer experience (Leimona et al. 2024, p.88). Performance and learning systems give feedback to encourage continuous development across all 21 categories. |
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Write my essay →Question 6: Interrelationship of the 21 Value Chain Elements
The 21 value chain segments work together as one integrated system that must remain aligned for effective global expansion. Every function's strategy determines its direction and directs resource allocation and leadership decisions. Governance and ethics provide the framework for the way work should be done in new markets. These inputs then affect research and development, innovation, and technology design (Bennett & Grabs, 2025, p.90). Supply chain, human resources, and operations all depend on these inputs to carry out the everyday tasks that support the plan. Finance connects all fields since every choice demands funds and control. The outputs of the system demonstrate the way the inputs are aligned. Marketing, sales, service, quality, performance, learning, and customer experience demonstrate the true impact of previous decisions. These outputs provide information that leads to new strategy changes that result in a continuous cycle of progress.
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