Zoe’s Kitchen Inc. has named Casey Shilling as chief marketing officer, the company said Monday.
Shilling succeeds Rachel Phillips-Luther, who left the Plano, Texas-based Mediterranean fast-casual operator in August for Jamba Inc., which is relocating from Emeryville, Calif., to Frisco, Texas.
Shilling most recently served as vice president of marketing and public relations at Coppell, Texas-based The Container Store. She will report to Kevin Miles, Zoe’s Kitchen president and CEO.
“Casey is a masterful brand builder, who, using innovative marketing strategies, has a long history of inspiring deep emotional connections that move consumers to become brand advocates and loyal, lifelong customers,” Miles said in a statement.
“Her devotion to creating differentiated customer experiences will take our brand to the next level as we develop new ways to engage with our guests through creative digital marketing, loyalty and social media campaigns, as well as other multi-channel marketing programs,” he said.
Prior to The Container Store, Shilling held marketing positions at Dallas-based agencies Meltzer & Martin Public Relations and Bustin & Co., after beginning her career in broadcast journalism as a television anchor and reporter.
Shilling said she was a longtime customer of the Zoës Kitchen brand.
“I’m excited to help elevate its ‘Live Mediterranean’ message,” Shilling said.
For the second quarter ended July 11, Zoe’s Kitchen reported net income of $1.2 million, or 6 cents per share, compared with $120,000, or 1 cent per share, a year ago, when the company was hit with $500,000 in executive transition costs. Adjusting for that impact, net income a year ago was $1 million, or 5 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter increased more than 21 percent, to $66.3 million.
Zoe’s Kitchen reported same-store sales increases of 4 percent in the second quarter, including a 3.1-percent increase in price and 0.9-percent growth in transactions and product mix.
As of July 11, Zoe’s had 191 restaurants in 20 states.
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