Dive Brief:
- Tony Roma’s has appointed interim CEO Mohaimina 'Mina' Haque to the permanent post the company said Thursday in a press release.
- Haque was appointed interim CEO in June and was already focused on strategies to attract more customers, redefine the company’s Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance initiatives and prepare the company for future growth, according to the press release.
- Under Haque’s leadership, Tony Roma’s has been reinventing itself as a “52-year-old startup,” and has been leaning into international growth, optimizing operations and advancing innovation. The company called her appointment the start of a “new chapter” at the chain.
Dive Insight:
Prior to her appointment as CEO, Haque served as Tony Roma’s outside counsel since 2021, managing legal issues and providing strategic guidance. In 2019, she founded her own law firm, per her LinkedIn profile. She is particularly experienced in business and franchise law, according to the press release.
“I’m eager to continue building on this momentum, reinvigorating the passion and innovation that has made Tony Roma’s a household name for generations,” Haque said in a statement.
Haque is the company’s first female CEO and has been encouraging innovation and sustainability companywide. She helped oversee a review of operations, through which management identified and eliminated inefficiencies and reduced costs and boosted productivity across its global operations.
The chain has been pushing for a comeback for some time. Tony Roma’s peaked at over 160 locations in the early 2000s, but currently has almost 60 locations, according to its website. The company has a large footprint outside of the U.S. — only 10 of its locations are domestic. Its international success is largely driven by loyal franchisees, some of which have been with the company since the late 1970s, according to Forbes.
One of the challenges Haque says the company faces is buildout costs, which were as high as $3 million. The company developed a new prototype in 2022, which is 3,000 square feet, with 30% lower development costs. Tony Roma’s also lowered franchise fees and offered more options to operators to reduce expenses. Build out costs are now about $1.7 million, according to Forbes.
The brand is testing new offerings to meet the demands of modern diners. Its menu updates include options like cauliflower ribs, while retaining its popular items like its onion loaf, baby back ribs and Memphis burgers and steak, Forbes reported.
