The quick-service restaurant chain Burgerville has named Kyle Welch as its new CEO. Welch had formerly served on Burgerville’s board. He takes over for Ed Casey who, after two years, has left Burgerville to begin the next phase of his professional career.
Casey, who joined Burgerville during the pandemic in 2022, has led a successful period of growth for the brand growing revenues by nearly 50%. His departure comes after a period of around 2 years in which the brand finds itself in a period of resurgence and growth.
Kelly has an extensive background in the food and beverage industry. He co-founded Chicago Scoops which grew to become one of the largest Cold Stone Creamery franchises nationwide with over 50 locations. He previously served as the CEO of Epic Burger, prior to which he worked as part of the franchise systems for brands such as Wingstop; Dunkin’; Jersey Mike’s; and Red Robin.
“Burgerville was built on people: our employees, our guests, the local farmers and ranchers, and the communities we’re part of,” Welch said. “My intention is simple: bring us back to those roots and strengthen them for the future.”
Joth Ricci, Executive Chairman of Burgerville, commended Casey’s service but said he is confident in the transition. Welch’s experience running a restaurant, coupled with his understanding of Burgerville’s culture, makes him well-suited to hone the guest experience and ensure consistency at the company’s approximately 40 locations in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Consistency has occasionally been an issue for a brand whose identity is so closely tied to its region. Burgerville, founded in Vancouver, Washington in 1961, has always distinguished itself by incorporating local ingredients such as Tillamook cheese, Walla Walla sweet onions, and regional specialties based on the harvests of the Pacific Northwest, which change with the seasons. This flies in the face of the typical model of a national fast food chain, which aims to standardize and keep costs low.
The company announced it will continue to invest in its employees and its community as it has under its “Serve with Love” philosophy, which has been at the heart of the brand since its inception.
As an established restaurant chain with over sixty years of history, Burgerville is uniquely positioned within the restaurant sector. Consumers today are increasingly drawn to restaurants that demonstrate a strong sense of origin or community involvement and to those whose supply chains can be verified as being transparent from supplier to end customer. In building this foundation, Burgerville is able to leverage current consumer trends rather than play catch-up with other chains who have not yet built such a foundation.
