Article

Boston Market CEO leaves post

Boston Market's CEO F. Lane Cardwell is stepping down and will be replaced by George Michel, former CEO of Timothy’s Coffees of the World Inc.

September 30, 2010 by Valerie Killifer — Editor, FastCasual.com

Boston Market's CEO F. Lane Cardwell stepped down from his post October 4. He was replaced by George Michel, who most recently served as president and CEO of Timothy’s Coffees of the World Inc.

Cardwell has been CEO of Boston Market since June 2009. In the past year, the company has debuted a line of sliders, signature sauces and a smaller portions menu, in an effort to capture more of the away-from-home market share.

Cardwell told FastCasual.com in June 2009 that his top priority at Boston Market was "not to get in the way" of existing operations. He viewed the company's biggest challenges as addressing the new definition of price value for the consumer and of communicating the quality of Boston Market's products.

This latest transition comes in the wake of a complete Boston Market transformation. An estimated 400 of its 500 units are set to undergo a major revitalization over the next four months. The re-design is based on the success of a 10-unit test in West Palm Beach, Fla., in which the company experienced a 25 percent increase in transactions and a 20 percent rise in sales.

According to a story in Nation's Restaurant News, several new menu items will be introduced in stores as well as the addition of up to 3,000 employees.

The changes are able to occur through a $15 million boost from Boston Market's parent company Sun Capital Partners.

From NRN:

[Caldwell] added that Boston Market's parent company, private-equity firm Sun Capital Partners, is investing more than $15 million over the next year for increased labor in the stores and more than $1 million in training for employees and managers. Physical upgrades will cost about $10 million over the next year for the 400 stores. ...

“We owe our future to 10 stores that put a lot on their backs,” Cardwell said. “As for me, I came here to be a change agent and offer hope to people who’d dealt with tough times for several years.”

Meanwhile, Boston Market is banking on Michel to lead the company through its latest round of changes.

He has more than 40 years experience in the food and restaurant business and served most recently as the president and CEO of Timothy’s Coffees of the World. Michel joined the Toronto-based company in 2008. In 2009, it was acquired by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. Earlier this year, Bruegger’s Enterprises acquired the restaurant holdings to Timothy's and its partner restaurants, mmmuffins and Michel's Baguette.

Bruegger's, through the wholly owned subsidiary, ThreeCaf Brands Canada Inc., assumed operations of all company-owned assets including 12 existing restaurants and a production facility. It also serves as franchisor for 128 franchise-owned locations of the three restaurant brands. All operations are located in Canada.

Michel previously served as CEO of A&W Restaurants in the United States. Prior to his appointment at A&W, Michel spent several years overseeing international operations for Burger King Corporation in the Middle East, Asia and Canada, and also served as chief operating officer, Global Markets, of Brinker International. Michel started his career at A&W Restaurants as an hourly kitchen cook while attending the University of Toronto.