This vet of Albertsons, Amazon and Pepsi to lead metro Atlanta food giant

GoTo Foods, which has its headquarters in Sandy Springs, is the owner and franchisor of restaurant chains and food court fixtures. That includes Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli and Schlotzsky’s. It also owns Seattle’s Best Coffee.

“These brands have a rich legacy of delighting customers worldwide, and I look forward to working alongside our talented team and franchisees to build on that success,” Gajial said in an announcement. A GoTo Foods spokesperson said Gajial was not currently available for interviews.

Credit: GoTo Foods

Credit: GoTo Foods

Gajial has more than 20 years of global consumer-retail leadership, according to the announcement. He most recently served as chief merchandising and digital officer for grocery chain Albertsons.

He also worked for Amazon, where he managed category development and marketplace operations for North America. At PepsiCo, he directed global strategy and marketing for markets including the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and North America.

At GoTo Foods, Gajial will oversee a global portfolio. As of late September, GoTo Foods is the franchisor and operator of more than 7,100 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shops and bakeries in 50 states and 70 countries and territories.

Credit: GABE FORD

Credit: GABE FORD

“Together, we will continue to focus on product innovation, enhancing the guest experiences, scaling efficiencies and driving franchise profitability,” Gajial said in the announcement.

Credit: GoTo Foods

Credit: GoTo Foods

Holthouser, the retiring CEO, is credited with rebranding the company from Focus Brands to GoTo Foods and helping unify its brands into a more cohesive system.

Also during his tenure, GoTo Foods expanded its physical footprint both in the U.S. and abroad, as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier this year. GoTo Foods saw McAlister’s Deli reach $1 billion in annual sales, and it launched its first original concept called Cinnabon Swirl.

“We’ve transformed so much together — digitally, operationally, culturally — and we did it not by outspending our competitors, but by out-hustling and out-thinking them,” Holthouser said in a LinkedIn post announcing his departure. “I’m proud of that.”