DENVER, March 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chipotle Mexican
Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced that it has hired Chris Brandt as chief marketing officer,
effective April 2. Brandt will report
to chief executive officer Brian
Niccol.
Most recently, Brandt was at Bloomin' Brands, where he served as
executive vice president and chief brand officer across Outback
Steakhouse, Carrabba's, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming's. In this capacity, he oversaw a
75-person brand team and held responsibility for product
innovation, brand positioning, product pipeline development,
consumer insights, creative strategy and development, media
strategy, loyalty, and digital marketing across all four dining
concepts.
"Chris is an extremely talented and effective marketing
executive," said Brian Niccol, CEO
at Chipotle. "Having worked with Chris in the past, I have seen
first-hand his ability to generate sales overnight and build brands
over time. His experience and expertise make him an ideal fit for
our leadership team at Chipotle as we look to reinvigorate this
exceptional brand, and build sales, transactions and
profitability."
Prior to his time at Bloomin' Brands, Brandt served as
chief brand and marketing officer at YUM! Brands' Taco Bell, where
he led marketing and food innovation. He oversaw numerous
successful new products including Doritos Locos Tacos and
the quesalupa, new dayparts such as Happier Hour and
breakfast, digital initiatives such as the Taco Bell app, as well
as other innovative media and sponsorship programs. Before joining
Taco Bell, he held senior level marketing and brand development
positions with Odwalla/Coca Cola and General Mills.
"I have admired the Chipotle brand both as a consumer and a
marketer over the years," said Brandt. "I'm excited to join the
company during this pivotal time and to work with the rest of the
leadership team to help reignite the brand and increase relevance
with consumers."
Brandt holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the
University of California, San Diego,
and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the Anderson
School of Management at the University of
California, Los Angeles.
ABOUT CHIPOTLE
Steve
Ells, founder and executive chairman, started Chipotle with
the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast
food experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu
of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads made from fresh,
high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking
methods and served in an interactive style allowing people to get
exactly what they want. Chipotle seeks out extraordinary
ingredients that are not only fresh, but that are raised
responsibly, with respect for the animals, land, and people who
produce them. Chipotle prepares its food using real, wholesome
ingredients, without the use of added colors, flavors or other
additives typically found in fast food. Chipotle opened with a
single restaurant in Denver in
1993 and now operates more than 2,400 restaurants. For more
information, visit chipotle.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this press release, including statements
regarding possible improvements or achievements in Chipotle's
business, are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We use words and phrases
such as "will", "seek", "confident that", and similar terms and
phrases, including references to assumptions, to identify
forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this
press release are based on information available to us as of the
date any such statements are made and we assume no obligation to
update these forward-looking statements. These statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those described in the statements. These
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the
following: the uncertainty of our ability to achieve expected
levels of comparable restaurant sales due to factors such as
changes in consumers' perceptions of our brand, including as
a result of actual or rumored food-borne illness incidents or other
negative publicity, the impact of competition, including from
sources outside the restaurant industry, decreased overall consumer
spending, or our possible inability to increase menu prices or
realize the benefits of menu price increases; the risk of
food-borne illnesses and other health concerns about our food or
dining out generally; factors that could affect our ability to
achieve and manage our planned expansion, such as the availability
of a sufficient number of suitable new restaurant sites and the
availability of qualified employees; the performance of new
restaurants and their impact on existing restaurant sales; the
potential for increased labor costs or difficulty training and
retaining qualified employees, including as a result of market
pressures, enhanced food safety procedures in our restaurants, or
new regulatory requirements; increases in the cost of food
ingredients and other key supplies or higher food costs due to
changes in supply chain protocols; risks associated with recent
leadership changes and our dependence on key personnel; risks
related to our marketing and advertising strategies, which may not
be successful and may expose us to liabilities; supply chain
risks; risks relating to our expansion into new markets, including
outside the U.S., or non-traditional restaurant sites; the impact
of federal, state or local government regulations relating to our
employees, our restaurant design, or the sale of food or alcoholic
beverages; risks associated with our Food With Integrity
philosophy, including supply shortages and potential liabilities
from advertising claims and other marketing activities related to
Food With Integrity; security risks associated with the acceptance
of electronic payment cards or electronic storage and processing of
confidential customer or employee information; risks relating to
litigation, including possible governmental actions related to
food-borne illness incidents, as well as class action litigation
regarding employment laws, advertising claims or other matters;
risks relating to our insurance coverage and self-insurance; risks
regarding our ability to protect our brand and reputation; risks
associated with our reliance on certain information technology
systems; risks related to our ability to effectively manage our
growth; and other risk factors described from time to time in our
SEC reports, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K
and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, all of which are
available on the investor relations page of our website at
ir.Chipotle.com.
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SOURCE Chipotle Mexican Grill