McAlister’s Deli, a leading fast casual restaurant, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Sturgis to the newly created role of Chief Development Officer, where he will lead development functions including franchise sales, real estate, store design and construction.
“We are excited to welcome Jeff to the McAlister’s team,” said McAlister’s Deli President and CEO Frank Paci. “Jeff brings a wealth of experience in franchise sales and development and will lead our efforts to accelerate the growth of the McAlister’s brand.”
Sturgis comes to McAlister’s with more than 17 years of experience in the franchise industry. Most recently, he founded and operated a franchise strategy and consulting practice where he worked with more than 25 franchisors to develop and execute strategies for franchise growth. Prior to that, he held senior management and development positions with Fantastic Sams Hair Salons and FOCUS Brands.
“I am excited to be part of the McAlister’s team,” said Sturgis. “McAlister’s is poised for tremendous growth with strong unit economics, three years of same-store sales increases, a tremendous franchise support team and an experienced and talented senior management team.”
McAlister’s has undertaken initiatives to strengthen its brand, including upgrading menu offerings and improving speed of service. Technomic recently recognized the brand as the top chain in the fast casual industry for food and beverage and as one of consumers’ Top 5 Favorite Chains in the country. Fast Casual also ranked the brand No. 2 on its Top 100 “Movers and Shakers” list of 2013 and Paci was named one of the “Top 20 People” in the industry to watch.
To learn more about franchising opportunities with McAlister’s, please contact (888) 855-DELI (3354) or franchising@mcalistersdeli.com, or visit www.mcalistersdelifranchise.com.
Founded in 1989, McAlister’s is a fast casual restaurant chain known for its sandwiches, spuds, soups, salads, desserts and McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea. In addition to dine-in and take-out service, McAlister’s also offers catering with a selection of sandwich trays, box lunches, desserts, a hot spud bar and more. With numerous industry accolades, McAlister’s has more than 320 restaurants in 23 states. The company has corporate offices in both Ridgeland, Miss., and Alpharetta, Ga. For more information, visit www.mcalistersdeli.com.
