Shipley Do-Nuts appoints Blaze Pizza exec as CFO

Dive Brief:

Shipley Do-Nuts has hired Brad Reynolds as chief financial officer and Chris Smith as VP of operations, the company said in a Tuesday press release.
Reynolds previously worked as CFO of Blaze Pizza and Smashburger. Smith has held leadership positions at Eskimo Hut, Rave Restaurant Group and Smashburger.
The chain brought on Flynn Dekker as CEO in May after he served as CEO at Bonchon for over three years.

Dive Insight:

Shipley Do-Nuts is experiencing record sales and new growth, which the new executives will help support. During the second quarter, the chain recorded 10.9% same-store sales growth, but has not yet shared its Q3 same-store sales. By the end of this year, the company expects to open over 20 new units and have a presence in 12 total states, according to the press release.

Reynolds joined the chain in September after over two years as Blaze Pizza’s CFO, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also worked for over a year at SBE Hospitality Group as COO and spent just shy of two years as CFO at Smashburger, and more than two years in other leadership roles at the burger chain.

Smith also joined the chain in September after five years at Eskimo Hut, where he was COO and VP of Development, according to his LinkedIn profile. In his new position, Smith will “focus on ensuring franchisees have the necessary tools and support to be highly successful,” the press release said.

“We have big goals for Shipley, and Brad’s and Chris’ experiences with successful franchise systems will be a strategic advantage for us as we focus on building even more new units, increasing shop sales and developing best-in-class operational systems for our franchisees,” Dekker said.

The brand continues to build momentum with franchisees, which is allowing it to enter new markets. The company recently signed a multi-unit deal for Charlotte, North Carolina, and has opened locations in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Giddings, Texas, within the last three weeks. The company also opened territories for development in the Midwest for the first time and is actively recruiting franchisees for markets like Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio.

The doughnut chain shifted its marketing strategy with the launch of its first marketing co-op, which will lead to a more unified brand voice across its 350-unit system, ostensibly to drive awareness and sales. The company also launched a loyalty program earlier this year that now has 60,000 members. Shipley also claims to have grown its online ordering and delivery sales to record highs, in turn driving its systemwide sales to unspecified record levels.