Appointment to Spearhead Growth in New and Existing Markets
Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ:TACO), the second largest Mexican-American QSR chain by units in the United States, announced the appointment of Jeff Little as Senior Vice President of Development, effective immediately. In his new position, Mr. Little will lead the Company’s Development efforts and Franchise Sales.
This appointment comes as Del Taco continues to strategically expand their national presence and elevate the quick service experience. “As we continue to invest in development with a focus on driving quality unit growth, we are excited to welcome Jeff to the Del Taco team,” said Paul J.B. Murphy, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Del Taco. “Given the substantial expansion opportunities for Del Taco in both established and emerging markets, having a seasoned veteran like Jeff in place will be critical to our long-term growth strategy and goal of achieving a mid-single-digit system-wide unit growth percentage in 2017 and an accelerated growth rate thereafter.”
“Del Taco is a strong brand that is poised to capitalize on national growth opportunities,” said Jeff Little. “I’m excited to partner my background and expertise with this proven team and extend the company’s leadership position in the QSR+ category.”
Mr. Little brings over 20 years of development experience to Del Taco. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Development at El Pollo Loco, where he oversaw real estate, franchise sales, construction project management and overall project design for the national brand. Prior to El Pollo Loco, Mr. Little worked at Yum! Brands for over 20 years, most recently as National Director of Taco Bell development where he directed real estate and construction of company development across the western U.S. Prior to that position, he served as National Director of Yum! Brands construction.
Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics from the University of California at Riverside and he, his wife and two children live in Orange County.
At Del Taco (NASDAQ: TACO, TACOW) all menu items taste better because they are made to order with fresh ingredients including cheddar cheese grated from 40-pound blocks, handmade pico de gallo salsa, lard-free beans slow-cooked from scratch, fresh sliced avocado and marinated chicken and carne asada grilled in the restaurant. The menu, which includes a full line of breakfast, includes classic Mexican dishes such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos as well as American favorites including hamburgers, crinkle-cut fries and shakes. Del Taco’s UnFreshing Believable campaign communicates the lengths the company goes to in order to deliver quality, made-to-order menu items created with freshly-prepared ingredients at unbelievable prices. With nearly 550 restaurants in 16 states, Del Taco serves more than three million guests each week. Stay up to date by following Del Taco on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit www.deltaco.com for more information.
