Tavistock Restaurant Collection has moved the headquarters of its Freebirdsâ World Burritoâ concept from Emeryville, Calif., to Austin, Texas, and promoted Bobby Shaw to chief operating officer of the brand, the company said Tuesday.
Tavistock moved Freebirds’ headquarters because more than half of its more than 100 units are located in Texas, a spokeswoman said.
“This move signifies an important milestone for Freebirds, as all support operations are now housed under one roof in the Great Hills Corporate Center,” the company said in a statement, which also noted that Shaw was promoted to the new COO position from his former role as Freebirds’ senior vice president of operations.
“Throughout his time at Freebirds, Bobby has demonstrated a collaborative ‘better together’ management style, which has both helped drive positive changes at Freebirds, as well as take full advantage of the parent company's strength,” said Charles B. Lewis, chairman of Freebirds World Burrito and Tavistock Restaurant Collection.
“While the company officially started in Santa Barbara in 1987, Central Texas is largely thought of as the home of Freebirds since we opened in College Station in 1991,” Lewis said. “It feels natural to have everyone here in Texas supporting all our restaurants as we build the brand across the country.”
Freebirds now has more than 2,000 employees, which the company calls its “Tribe,” throughout seven states: California, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
“Our success at Freebirds is built on the strength of our Tribe — our employees — and our passion for people and food,” Shaw said.
This year, Freebirds has introduced several new additions to its menu, including seasonal salsas and featured items including the Lite Chicken Bowl, BBQ Classic Burrito and the Spicy Chicken Burrito.
Tavistock Restaurant Collection is part of the Tavistock Group, an international private investment company. Its brands include Abe & Louie’s, Atlas, AquaKnox, Napa Valley Grille, California Cafe, Atlantic Fish, Coach Grill, ZED451, Joe’s American Bar & Grill, Blackhawk Grille, Timpano, Cafe del Rey, Canonita and Sapporo.
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