Dive Brief:
- Smoothie King has hired Marianne Radley as chief marketing officer, Juan Salas as chief information officer, and Laura Scavone as chief people officer, the company announced Tuesday.
- Radley, who started in September, previously served as chief brand officer at Yum, overseeing Pizza Hut. Salas, who started in October, previously worked as the chief technology officer for Gordon Ramsay North America while Scavone was promoted from her position as VP of human relations at Smoothie King in October.
- Smoothie King’s C-suite shake up coincides with the brand’s efforts to accelerate development in a number of markets.
Dive Insight:
In the summer, Smoothie King brought on Chris Bremer as chief development officer to head up the chain’s expansion in the upper Midwest, Central Atlantic, Colorado and Texas, which the company identified as key growth markets. The chain, which has about 1,400 units, most of which are franchised, said it has seen growing revenue and unit volume over the last couple of years. The company said it has signed 145 development agreements over the past year, but it’s still seeking additional operators in Cleveland, Denver, Phoenix, New York and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Radley replaced Rebecca Miller as CMO, following Miller’s more than three year tenure, while Salas replaced Chris Andrews who departed from the chain in May. Radley will oversee the brand’s image, product innovation, advertising and marketing, which posit its products as an element of a healthy, active lifestyle. Salas, who has over 20 years of experience in foodservice and hospitality, will be tasked with improving digital customer experiences and in-store technology that may prove important as rival smoothie brands look for high-tech expansion pathways.
Scavone, who has worked for Smoothie King on human relations topics since 2018, will direct “hiring, training, professional development, and performance management,” as well as a “candidate-centric recruiting experience for prospective franchisees,” the company said.
