Dive Brief:
- SPB Hospitality has appointed Josh Kern as CEO, the company said on Wednesday in a press release.
- Kern was previously appointed interim CEO in August 2022, when SPB also named interim CFO Jessica Hagler as permanent CFO.
- Kern has been with the brand since 2018, when he took the role of CMO before shifting to the president of concepts role, where he oversaw marketing, culinary, beverage, supply chain and information technology.
Dive Insight:
Kern oversaw the company’s merger with Krystal, which was completed in April, and “blended the companies while streamlining costs,” the compay said in a statement. He also kicked off Krystal’s first major refranchising push.
Krystal aims to reach 500 units by 2027 and has developed two off-premise prototypes to aid in its development. Kern’s experience also includes CMO stints for Cerca Trova Restaurant Concepts and Smashburger, as well as the role of VP of marketing for Quiznos.
Under his leadership, SPB will remain focused on its three core principles of “collaboration, innovation and customer-centricity.”
“Josh is absolutely the right person for the job, with the energy to drive our business forward and accelerate our growth. With his experience in the marketing, culinary, supply chain and IT disciplines, he is well positioned to expand SPB Hospitality and develop strategies to navigate ongoing inflationary pressures and fast track innovative ways to reach out to guests,” Morgan McClure, managing director at Fortress Investment Group, said in a statement.
Fortress Investment Group owns SPB, which was established in 2020 to manage its growing hospitality portfolio. Fortress originally bought Krystal in 2020. SPB has grown its portfolio through M&A, buying J. Alexander’s Holdings in 2021 and CraftWorks — which owned brands like Logan’s Roadhouse, Old Chicago, Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant — in 2020. SPB has hundreds of restaurants and breweries across 35 states and Washington, D.C.
