ATHENS, Ga., Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zaxby's, the
premium chicken QSR founded in Athens,
Ga., announced today that CEO and Co-Founder Zach McLeroy will transition to Chairman of the
Company effective January 2022, after
more than 30 years leading the brand. Bernard Acoca has been appointed as the
company's new Chief Executive Officer. Acoca's experience leading
some of the nation's top restaurant concepts will be instrumental
in driving the company's growth, while McLeroy's continued
involvement will ensure the culture and founder-led history of
Zaxby's continue as a guiding principle.
"I am humbled by the success Zaxby's has experienced since my
co-founder and I launched the company three decades ago," said
Zach McLeroy, CEO and Co-Founder of
Zaxby's. "Earlier this year, I decided that the best way to
capitalize on the enormous opportunities available to Zaxby's was
to bring in the brand's first external Chief Executive Officer. We
have been engaged in a CEO search to find someone with the
strategic, operational, and marketing expertise to accelerate
Zaxby's growth and lead our national expansion. We're thrilled to
have identified Bernard Acoca, a
respected industry leader, to guide our future success. I
wholeheartedly believe Bernard is committed to growing our business
while preserving the best of our heritage and culture."
Founded by childhood friends Zach
McLeroy and Tony Townley in
1990, Zaxby's serves delicious chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches
and salads in a fun, offbeat atmosphere where customers are
considered friends. Supported by a passionate, engaged franchisee
community, the brand has grown to more than 900 locations across 17
states. "Leading Zaxby's has been an incredible, life-changing
journey," McLeroy commented. "I am truly fortunate to have worked
alongside a unique group of talented team members and brand
partners who all share the same dedication to our
mission–-consistently creating encore experiences that enrich
lives, one person at a time."
With more than 20 years of experience as a marketer and
executive within the restaurant industry, Acoca is a proven leader.
He has served as CEO and President of El Pollo Loco, since
March 2018. Over the last three and
half years, Acoca led the brand through a transformation in which
digital e-commerce rapidly accelerated, drive-thru and back of the
house were streamlined, and the chain doubled-down on its L.A.-Mex
brand positioning with a new contemporary restaurant design in
preparation for aggressive franchise expansion domestically.
Previously, Acoca spent seven years at Starbucks as a member of
Leadership Team including as Senior Vice President, Marketing &
Category for the Americas, where he was responsible for managing
categories totaling $9B in sales, and
as President of Teavana. Prior to that, Acoca served as Chief
Marketing Officer for the Americas for L'Oréal and spent 10 years
at Yum! Brands.
"It is an honor to step into the shoes of Zach McLeroy as the first external CEO," said
Bernard Acoca, incoming Chief
Executive Officer of Zaxby's. "Zach has built the Zaxby's brand
into more than just a quick-service chicken chain. He has found the
secret to success is serving our communities quality food,
providing team members with opportunity, creating a definable
culture of service, and collaborating with strategic partners to
grow the brand to new heights. I am thrilled to be joining Zaxby's
at this exciting milestone, and I look forward to working with the
talented people in the Zaxby's family to build upon the brand's
success."
Nicole Agnew, Partner in the
Private Equity business at Goldman Sachs and member of the Zaxby's
Board of Directors, added, "Bernard is a seasoned executive with a
proven track record of driving sales and profits. I am confident he
has the experience and humility to lead Zaxby's, its franchisees,
and its employees to achieve new levels of success in the future. I
am also deeply thankful that we will continue to have Zach's
stewardship of the brand as Chairman and know that we will continue
to be guided by his vision for Zaxby's in the future."
ABOUT ZAXBY'S
Founded in 1990, Zaxby's is committed to serving delicious chicken
fingers, wings, sandwiches and salads in a fun, offbeat atmosphere
where customers are considered friends. Zaxby's iconic Signature
Sandwich won Thrillist's 2021 Fasties Award for Best Fried Chicken
Sandwich. Zaxby's has grown to more than 900 locations in 17 states
and is headquartered in Athens, Georgia. For more information,
visit zaxbys.com or zaxbysfranchising.com
Media Contact
Jacob Teetzmann
Tombras
423.494.3673
jteetzmann@tombras.com
Web Address
zaxbys.com/contact-us
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zaxbys-ceo-and-co-founder-zach-mcleroy-to-transition-to-chairman-bernard-acoca-appointed-as-new-chief-executive-officer-301408117.html
SOURCE Zaxby's