Name: Suzie Tsai
New title: Chief growth officer, Bonchon U.S.
Previous title: Vice president of marketing, On the Border
Bonchon, a rapidly growing Korean fried chicken concept, hired Suzie Tsai as chief growth officer, the company announced Thursday. Tsai’s restaurant sector career began in 2005 at Brinker, where she worked as a senior manager of consumer insights, according to her LinkedIn profile. Since then, Tsai has worked across a variety of roles, including food and beverage innovation and marketing. Her most recent role was with On the Border as VP of marketing, during which time the chain was working to makeover its brand positioning and loyalty program.
Suzie Tsai’s restaurant resume:
- Aug. 2023 to present: Chief growth officer, Bonchon U.S.
- Oct. 2020 to Aug. 2023 Vice president of marketing, On the Border
- Jan. 2017 to April 2018: Senior director of marketing, Brinker International
- Dec. 2015 to Jan. 2017: Senior director of marketing services, Brinker International
- Dec. 2013 to Dec. 2015: Director of food and beverage innovation, Brinker International
- Oct. 2008 to Nov. 2013: Director of global marketing, Brinker International
- Dec. 2005 to Sept. 2008: Senior manager of consumer insights, Brinker International
What’s on Tsai’s plate: As chief growth officer, Tsai will “oversee guest experience and menu innovation, leverage technology to improve efficiencies, develop unique branding and growth strategies, and continue to strengthen Bonchon's positioning,” according to the press release.
Bonchon has plans to double its American footprint in the coming years, with a development pipeline of over 100 units in the U.S. This franchising growth is powered in part by three prototypes offered by the chain: A 2,500-3,500-square-foot casual dining design; a 1,500-to-2,5000-square-foot inline, fast-casual unit; and an 800-1,200-square-foot non-traditional design, meant for airports, malls and other such locations.
Earlier this year, Bonchon appointed a new CEO, Bryan Shin, to its U.S. division. The company has a particular focus on “menu innovation to drive trial, enhance guest touchpoints and continue to evolve the footprint and format based on location and market demands.”
As the brand grows, Tsai’s experience working in different aspects of the restaurant industry could come in handy for the chain. Tsai’s tenure at On the Border overlapped with that company’s efforts to return to growth and reposition its brand in an increasingly digital landscape. Marketing and digital successes helped On the Border resume unit growth after 10 years of stagnation.
