Cava Group Inc., which in February filed confidential documents for a proposed initial public offering, has named Andrew Rebhun as chief experience officer, a company spokesperson said Monday.
Washington, D.C.-based Mediterranean fast-casual brand hired Rebhun from Costa Mesa, Calif.-based El Pollo Loco Inc., where he served as chief marketing officer for the past year and a half.
"This is a fast-growing brand that's defining a new category and truly bringing heart, health, and humanity to food, and that makes for a great customer experience," Rebhun said in a statement.
A Cava spokesperson said the chief experience officer position is new and will oversee the brand’s creative and digital teams.
Prior to the CMO position at El Pollo Loco, Rebhun served as the brand’s chief digital officer. Before El Pollo Loco, he worked in marketing positions at McDonald’s Corp. and the Ford Motor Co.
Rebhun assumed the role Monday and reports to Brett Schulman, Cava’s co-founder and CEO.
In February, Cava announced that it had confidentially submitted a draft registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering had been determined.
In 2018, Cava acquired the similar Zoe’s Kitchen Mediterranean concept, based in Plano, Texas, and began converting some locations.
In 2021, the brand received a $190 million round of Series F funding to help convert Zoës units to the Cava concept.
Cava had 237 restaurants at the end of 2022.
Update May 8, 2023: This story has been edited to included a comment from Rebhun.
Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless
