Focus Brands names new international execs

Focus Brands Inc. has named two new executives to its international team, the company said Thursday.

Thomas Bartsch has been appointed chief marketing officer of international, and Mario Lopez-Belio has been named senior vice president of international supply chain. Both Bartsch and Lopez-Belio are new to Focus Brands, the Atlanta-based parent company of Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Schlotzsky’s and Cinnabon.

“It’s extremely important for us to add top-notch talent to our international team during this period of fast growth,” said Mike Shattuck, president of Focus Brands International. “Thomas and Mario bring exceptional resumes to the table, each having the global experience we need as we continue to introduce our brands to new markets abroad.”

Both positions on the international team are newly created, the company said. In their new roles at Focus Brands, both Bartsch and Lopez-Belio will report directly to Shattuck.

Lopez-Belio will be responsible for developing international supply chain strategy and will counsel on effective sourcing. Lopez-Belio most recently served as chief procurement officer at Carlson, a hospitality company, where he worked since 2006. Most recently, Bartsch served as executive director of marketing at the International House of Pancakes.

International growth is a significant part of Focus Brands’ expansion strategy. In a January interview with Nation’s Restaurant News, Shattuck discussed how Focus Brands uses its snack brands to enter international markets.

“We use the snack brands as the lead brands,” he said. “They have relatively fast returns and very fast value penetration. Leading with them helps us learn the new market first hand.”

Shattuck said Focus Brands had opened more than 200 international restaurants in 2012, and that the company plans to do the same in 2013. The company’s core international growth markets, he said at the time, are the Middle East, Latin America and Southeast Asia.

Contact Erin Dostal at [email protected].
Follow her on Twitter: @ErinDostal