Focus Brands appoints Dave Mikita to lead its international franchise business

Dave Mikita, President of Focus Brands International and Retail Channels

Focus Brands, which operates the Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon and Jamba brands, has appointed Dave Mikita as President of Focus Brands International and Retail Channels. 
 

Mikita previously served as President of Global Channels at Focus Brands, a division which the Atlanta-based franchise group has rebranded Retail Channels. 

In his new role, Mikita assumes responsibility for Focus Brands' international franchise business and is tasked with taking the group’s foodservice brands to new markets outside of North America. 

As of the end of 2022, Focus Brands operated more than 1,900 units internationally across its seven brands in addition to its approximately 4,700 sites across the US and Canada. 
 

Cinnabon, operated by Focus Brands since 2004, is set to enter five further international markets in 2023, and has already debuted in Singapore, Guyana and Iraq this year. The bakery café chain has also touted Taiwan, Uzbekistan and Morocco as potential new markets. 

Focus Brands said its Retail Channels segment has achieved ‘double digit growth’ under Mikita’s tenure over the last six years. It anticipates both its International and Retail businesses achieving ‘strong growth in the coming years’. 

Focus Brands, which also operates the McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill and Schlotzsky's brands, achieved system-wide sales exceeding $3.9bn in 2022.  

The franchise group is seeking to further integrate multiple brands into a single retail space and to plans to open more than 50 dual and tri-brand stores – single outlets comprising multiple brands – by the end of 2023.