Sweetgreen’s new campaign, “Faces of the Farm,” swaps out celebrities for real farmers like Dan Drake, who appears feeding baby goats on a giant Times Square billboard. The brand wants to show where their food comes from, using local ingredients and humane farming to build trust and connection. They’re also hosting goat meet-and-greets and sharing behind-the-scenes farm stories, making the food and its people the stars. This honest, farm-to-table approach is attracting younger diners who care about food transparency and real stories.
What is Sweetgreen’s new farm-to-billboard marketing strategy and why does it matter?
Sweetgreen’s new “Faces of the Farm” campaign replaces celebrity endorsements with real farmers, like goat farmer Dan Drake, to showcase transparent sourcing. This farm-to-table strategy highlights local ingredients and humane practices, appealing to diners seeking authenticity and boosting customer engagement through experiential marketing.
How Sweetgreen Turned a Goat Farmer into a Billboard Star – And Why Diners Are Watching
On a typical Wednesday morning this August, digital screens in New York’s Times Square lit up with a 15-second loop of Dan Drake gently bottle-feeding a baby goat. That 55-foot-tall clip is the centerpiece of Sweetgreen’s 2025 Faces of the Farm campaign, a marketing pivot that replaces celebrity endorsements with the actual farmers who grow Sweetgreen’s ingredients.
- The Scale of the Shift*
- 40 % of U.S. diners now actively look for restaurants that source locally and transparently (Alliance Abroad, 2025)
- Small farms now supply 35 % of all restaurant ingredients in the U.S., up from 12 % in 2020 (Metrobi, 2025)
Sweetgreen’s response: turn its supply chain into the hero.
From Cheese to Campaign: The Drake Story
Dan Drake’s second-generation goat farm in Winchester, California, is the first supplier to be featured in Series 2 of Faces of the Farm. Key specifics:
| Asset | Where You’ll See It | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Times Square billboard | 42nd & 7th | 1.3 million daily impressions |
| 4-minute online film | YouTube & IG Reels | Story of humane goat rearing |
| “Goat Mart” pop-up | Silverlake, Los Angeles | Tactile meet-and-greet with 12 baby goats |
Drake’s cheese will top Sweetgreen’s August Peach + Goat Cheese bowl, tying the menu item directly to the face on the billboard.
Real Numbers Behind the Romance
Sweetgreen’s CEO Jonathan Neman frames farmers as “heroes” and “stars,” but the brand is betting on more than sentiment: experiential events like goat meet-ups have driven 3× higher dwell time in store locations during pilot tests, according to company notes released to investors.
| Certification | Benefit to Brand Story |
|---|---|
| Certified Humane | Audited welfare standards |
| Farmstead cheese only | Milk travels 0 km from barn to vat |
| Named & registered goats | Each animal traceable to registry |
The farm spends ≈ $16 k/month on premium alfalfa alone, a figure Drake shared in a Los Angeles Times profile (LA Times, 2024) – a slice of transparency now echoed in Sweetgreen’s own cost-of-goods breakdown on its investor site.
Consumer Behavior in 2025
- 70 % of Gen Z say they would switch brands for clearer sourcing information (Penn State Extension, 2025)
- Farm-to-table market size is projected to hit $48 bn globally by 2030 at 8.5 % CAGR (Future Data Stats)
Sweetgreen’s strategy: ride both the growth curve and the growing skepticism toward celebrity-endorsed fast food. Instead of a paid influencer holding a salad, you see Dan Drake – who can also tell you the name of the goat whose milk made the chèvre.
What is Sweetgreen’s ‘Faces of the Farm’ campaign and why is it replacing celebrity endorsements?
Sweetgreen’s ‘Faces of the Farm’ series spotlights real farmers instead of celebrities, turning suppliers like Dan Drake of Drake Family Farms into public stars. CEO Jonathan Neman explains the shift: “These farmers are heroes… they are the stars that make the food delicious, so we wanted to give them a bigger stage.” The campaign launched in spring 2025 and has already featured a Times Square billboard and a Silverlake “Goat Mart” meet-and-greet with baby goats. By showcasing actual goat cheese supplier Drake Family Farms, the brand replaces traditional celebrity marketing with authentic supply-chain storytelling.
How does Sweetgreen measure the impact of highlighting farmers on brand trust and sales?
While direct sales data linking the campaign to revenue is not yet available as of August 2025, industry analysis shows Sweetgreen is using the strategy to “drive in traffic” amid weakening sales. According to Restaurant Business, the goat-focused events are viewed as creative attempts to boost engagement, although measurable results remain pending. The brand primarily tracks brand perception and customer connection, emphasizing how featuring real suppliers builds transparency and emotional loyalty rather than immediate transaction spikes.
What specific visibility tactics does Sweetgreen use to amplify farmer stories?
The campaign employs multi-channel amplification including:
– Times Square billboard featuring Dan Drake and his goats
– Online storytelling videos sharing the Drake Family Farms journey
– Live experiential events like the Silverlake “Goat Mart” where customers interact with baby goats and meet the featured farmer
This approach combines high-impact digital reach with tactile community engagement, replacing celebrity billboards with authentic farmer spotlights.
Why is Drake Family Farms highlighted as a model supplier in the campaign?
Drake Family Farms represents the campaign’s values through certified humane practices where every goat is named and registered. As a second-generation family business and veterinarian-led operation, the farm emphasizes individual animal care while producing exclusive goat cheese for Sweetgreen’s seasonal menus. Their new public farm store and petting zoo in Winchester, California (opened June 2025) extends the campaign’s reach beyond restaurants into direct community experiences.
How does the campaign align with 2025 consumer trends for food transparency?
The strategy perfectly aligns with 2025 consumer priorities where:
– 40% of diners actively seek restaurants sourcing local and sustainable ingredients
– Small farms now supply 35% of restaurant ingredients, up from 12% in 2020
– Demand for transparency and traceability drives restaurants to adopt modern tracking systems
By showcasing actual suppliers like Drake Family Farms, Sweetgreen meets consumer demand for authentic sourcing stories while differentiating itself in the competitive fast-casual market.
