Quick Service Marketing Veteran, Robin Seward, Joins Rita’s as Chief Marketing Officer
Rita’s Italian Ice, the world’s largest Italian Ice concept with more than 600 stores, named Robin Seward as the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. Seward brings nearly 25 years of industry expertise to her new position and will head the development and execution of marketing strategies and research and development at Rita’s Italian Ice.
Seward’s impressive career includes leadership positions at quick-service and full-service restaurant giants such as Burger King Corporation, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and, most recently, Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc., where she served at the helm of the brand experience team as vice president of brand marketing. During her time at Arby’s, she pioneered a new brand positioning campaign, expanded social listening capabilities to improve interaction and crisis identification, and enabled the famous “Pharrell hat” tweet, which garnered considerable exposure for the brand.
“We’re thrilled to have Robin as part of our executive team at Rita’s,” said Jeff Moody, CEO of Rita’s Franchise Company. “Her broad experience, creativity and fresh perspective is just what we need to continue to grow the brand both nationally and globally. We are excited to watch Robin and her team amp up the fun and excitement that guests have come to expect from Rita’s Italian Ice.”
“Having grown up in New Jersey, joining the Rita’s team is coming home. It will be my distinct pleasure to help recreate the happiness that Rita’s brought to me and my hometown in communities throughout the world,” noted Seward. “At Rita’s, our mission is happiness and our purpose is the care and feeding of that feeling. It’s a blessing to be charged with curating happiness on a global scale, and my team is ready to ensure that people everywhere ‘have an ice day’ in 2015.”
As chief marketing officer at Rita’s, Seward will lead a team of 10 marketing and customer experience specialists and R&D professionals on continuing to grow the iconic brand and spreading the love of ice, custard and happiness.
Ranked #1 in Nation’s Restaurant News “Consumer Pick’s 2014” for Service and Value in the Frozen Treat category and 14th overall in the Limited-Service category, Rita’s Franchise Company is the largest Italian Ice concept in the world with more than 600 stores in the U.S. The company is aggressively expanding internationally with an operating location in the Philippines, and stores planned for Canada and the Middle East. Rita’s, headquartered in Trevose, Pa., was also named one of the Top 25 Franchise High Performers by the Wall Street Journal’s “Startup Journal” and ranks #81 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s “2014 Franchise 500” list. For more information about Rita’s franchise opportunities, please visit: www.ownaritas.com.
The popular chain offers many delicious options that combine their famous Italian Ice and award-winning Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard, including layered Gelati, blended Misto Shake, and a personalized Blendini which mixes Italian Ice, Frozen Custard and a delicious topping. Rita’s also has unique Milkshakes made with Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard, Frozen Drinks and Custard Cookie Sandwiches. Since 1984, Rita’s has been dedicated to serving up a big dose of happiness with their freshly made, delicious, custom treats, in a fun-filled atmosphere, and thirty years later, they are still spreading “Ice, Custard, Happiness!” Get Rita’s. Get Happy! For more information about Rita’s Italian Ice, please call 1-800-677-7482 or visit www.ritasice.com.
