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Corner Bakery Café names new CFOCorner Bakery Café names new CFO

Salil Bapat joins fast-casual chain from Yum

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

January 14, 2015

2 Min Read
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Corner Bakery Café has named industry veteran Salil Bapat chief financial officer, the company said this week.

Bapat served most recently as CFO for Yum! Brands Inc.’s Latin America and Caribbean region. He fills a position formerly held by Richard Peabody, who joined New Orleans-based Smoothie King Franchises Inc. last year as CFO.
 
“We were very deliberative and diligent in our six-month search for a new CFO, and Salil was, by far, the most impressive candidate we interviewed,” said Gary Price, president of Dallas-based Corner Bakery Café, a 180-unit fast-casual chain owned by Atlanta-based Roark Capital.

“It was important that we chose an executive that understood our company’s culture and had the experience needed to lead Corner Bakery Cafe’s financial strategy,” Price said in a statement. “Considering Salil’s extensive financial, franchise and restaurant industry background, we are thrilled to have him on board during this exciting time in our company’s history.”  

Prior to his Latin American post, Bapat held financial positions with Yum in Thailand and South Korea. Before his international assignments, Salil worked with Yum’s financial planning and analysis, development, capital planning and business analysis groups.

“2015 is poised to be another record year for Corner Bakery Café, and I am happy to be a part of the team leading the growth strategy,” Bapat said.

Corner Bakery ranked No. 114 in Nation’s Restaurant News’ most recent census of the Top 200 foodservice companies, with U.S. systemwide foodservice sales of $322.9 million in fiscal 2013, an increase from $296.4 million in the prior year.

The chain, which Roark acquired in 2011, has restaurants in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

This story has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: Jan. 15, 2015: An earlier version of this article misstated Corner Bakery's current unit count. The correct number is 180.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless

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About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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