Moe’s Southwest Grill has tapped former McDonald’s executive Erik Hess as its new president, the Atlanta-based fast-casual chain announced Thursday.
Hess spent 25 years with McDonald’s in a variety of leadership posts, including product development, customer experience and strategy.
At Moe’s, which is owned by Focus Brands, Hess replaces Bruce Schroder, who had held the top post since 2015.
Hess will oversee franchise and company operations, marketing, supply chain and product operations at Moe’s 725 units across the U.S.
“I am excited to lead the Moe’s Southwest Grill brand because it sits in one of the fastest-growing segments in the restaurant industry,” Hess said in a statement. “The brand has great food, an incredibly loyal fan base and very involved franchisees. We’re well positioned to accelerate growth.”
Moe’s had sales of $734.5 million in 2018, an increase of 2.6% from the previous year, according to Technomic data.
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