The owners of Zaxby’s premium chicken restaurant understand that it takes more than secret ingredients and hot oil to fry the best chicken. The franchise leaders understand that leading the brand will also take someone with an eye toward the future. For that reason, Zaxby’s has hired its first external CEO – Bernard Acoca.
Zaxby’s was founded in 1990 by childhood friends Tony Townley and Zach McLeroy. Since that time, McLeroy has served as Zaxby’s CEO. The former CEO of the famous chicken restaurant will transition to chairman and give Acoca the reins and opportunity to drive growth while maintaining the company’s excellent reputation.
Acoca comes to Zaxby’s with over 30 years of experience as a strategic leader. He has worked with brands like L’Oreal, El Pollo Loco, Starbucks, and Teavana. During his tenure with each, sales and growth were exponential. Some of his work involved simplifying operations, which caused some companies’ stock to double.
As for the founders, Townley and McLeroy believe that they have found the leader of the future. They say hiring Bernard Acoca was “the best way to capitalize on the enormous opportunities available to Zaxby’s.” For his new role, Acoca is excited to engage with the customers and maintain or improve the community-like atmosphere McLeroy and Townley created over the decades.
Zaxby’s franchise has over 900 restaurants in 17 states. Bernard Acoca shares the same dedication as the owners and intends to build on their success. He hopes to continue the mission of Zaxby to create the best customer experience and enrich each person’s life.
Since opening, Zaxby’s has become synonymous with fried chicken sandwiches. Zaxby’s signature sandwich has received awards, including Thrillist’s 2021 Fasties Award for Best Fried Chicken Sandwich.
The owners of Zaxby’s now have Bernard Acoca as CEO. He is someone with an eye toward the future.
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Visit his LinkedIn profile on https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernard-acoca-066722/