The US franchise group has appointed former Panera Bread executive Tracey Young as Chief Brand Officer to oversee marketing and operations at Cinnabon as the bakery and coffee chain targets further outlet growth in high footfall retail destinations
Cinnabon has appointed former Panera VP of Retail Operations to oversee marketing and operations | Photo credit: Focus Brands
Focus Brands has appointed Tracey Young as Chief Brand Officer of US bakery and coffee chain Cinnabon.
Young, who will oversee marketing and operations at Cinnabon, was previously the Vice President of Strategy, Retail Operations at Panera Bread, where she led multiple cross-functional teams to drive restaurant operations strategies.
Young's appointment comes as Focus Brands announced new senior leadership roles for its Auntie Annes, Carvel and Jamba franchises.
Other appointments include Jim Salerno and Jessica Osborne to its Carvel retail ice cream franchise, as Chief Brand Officer and VP of Marketing respectively. Kerri Christian has been promoted to SVP of Specialty Category Marketing, across the Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon and Jamba franchises, where she is tasked with focusing on digital engagement, strategic initiatives, innovation.
Focus Brands said the new appointments will lead key business functions within the group, which sold a ‘record breaking’ 561 franchises in 2021, including 10 co-branded Cinnabon and Auntie Anne’s stores in New York city.
“As a leader, it is an honour and privilege to see colleagues continue to grow their career within a company while also having the opportunity to recruit top tier talent to further build our business. With strong leadership we are well-positioned to continue to grow our brands and increase customer preference in today's competitive market,” said Kristen Hartman, Specialty Category President, Focus Brands.
Founded in Seattle in 1985, Cinnabon positions itself as the ‘market leader among cinnamon roll bakeries’, operating more than 1,600 franchise locations worldwide, primarily in areas of high footfall such as shopping malls, airports, train stations and travel plazas.
Cinnabon made progress internationally in 2021 with key milestones in the Middle East, including the opening of the first ever Cinnabon drive-thru in the region, located just outside of Cairo, Egypt and its
return to the UK market after leaving more than a decade ago.
The franchise also signed a deal with the Innovative Union Company to bring 130 new Cinnabon bakeries to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia within the next five years.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Focus Brands is a leading developer of global multi-channel foodservice brands. Focus Brands, through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of more than 6,400 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shops, and bakeries in the US and over 55 foreign countries under the Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe's Southwest Grill, McAlister's Deli and Schlotzsky's brands.