Name: Nick Chavez
New title: Chief marketing officer, 7 Brew
Previous title: Chief marketing officer, KFC U.S.
As 7 Brew’s first chief marketing officer, Chavez will support new restaurant launches, help increase customer visits and grow the coffee chain’s loyalty program, according to a Tuesday press release.
“Nick is an accomplished marketer with a proven track record of guiding brands through transformative growth,” said Christopher Dawson, 7 Brew president. “As 7 Brew embarks on its next phase of expansion, Nick’s expertise in driving sales, engaging younger consumers, and executing impactful brand strategies will be invaluable to our continued success.”
Chavez has over 25 years of customer and integrated marketing communications experience across the restaurant, electronics and digital media industries. For three years as CMO at KFC U.S., he worked to draw in younger, more diverse customers, drive e-commerce sales and design the KFC Rewards program, which launched in February. As of Q3, that program contributed to digital sales growth of 20% compared to last year, executives said during an earnings call. He also spent 12 years at Nintendo of America and held various marketing positions in Yahoo for over a decade.
7 Brew has expanded rapidly in the past few years, growing from eight units at the start of 2021 to 180 at the end of 2023, according to its 2024 franchise disclosure document. Per Tuesday’s press release, the coffee chain now has over 300 units. Datassential calculated its one-year unit count growth was over 370% last year, making it the fastest growing brand measured in that report in terms of percentage of unit growth.
The chain claims to have a pipeline of over 2,000 units, according to QSR Magazine. It received a growth equity investment from Blackstone in February to support its expansion. In September, the chain appointed Dawson, previously Walk-On’s CEO, as president.
