Togo’s Sandwiches has promoted CFO Matt Dowling to the CEO role, only he also gets to keep the CFO job. Dowling, who has been with Togo’s for nearly three years, replaces former CEO Glenn Lunde, who announced last week that he had moved to Yoshinoya America as CEO.
Chipotle is investing in a potential Cava competitor. The fast-casual burrito chain is investing in a 6-unit Mediterranean brand called Brassica as part of its $100 million Cultivate Next venture fund. Brassica is based in Columbus, Ohio, that focuses on salads and sandwiches.
Velvet Taco has some big growth plans overseas. The Dallas-based chain will debut in London’s Soho neighborhood in the spring of 2025 with more locations targeted throughout the United Kingdom through a partnership with franchisee Velvet Taco UK Ltd.
Red Robin is facing some activist investors. Two have taken an 11.6% stake in the casual-dining chain. JCP Investment Management purchased 7.9% of Red Robin’s total shares, while private investment firm Jumana Capital bought 3.7% of the shares, causing a bump in Red Robin’s stock price last week.
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