US-based quick-service chicken restaurant chain Church’s Texas Chicken has announced the appointment of Roland Gonzalez as its new CEO
He will lead the brand’s next phase of global growth and evolution.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Gonzalez has been chief operations officer (COO) at the brand since 2022, and is taking over as CEO from Joe Guith, who has served in that position since the same year.
Gonzalez has experience in a range of executive positions, including executive vice-president for operations at Virtual Dining Concepts and head of global operations standards and strategy at Restaurant Brands International.
Before joining Church’s Texas Chicken, he held senior leadership roles at quick-service brands such as Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes.
He contributed to growth strategies and delivered high-impact results across Restaurant Brands International’s more than 20,000 restaurants.
Gonzalez stated: “I am honoured to now lead this great brand at a critical inflection point in our growth journey. With a rich history of quality, bold flavour and being truly invested in the communities we serve, Church’s holds a special place in the hearts of millions.
“I look forward to working alongside our talented team and valued franchisee partners to drive innovation, enhance our guest experience and expand our footprint globally. We have only begun to scratch the surface of the tremendous opportunity ahead.”
Private equity firm High Bluff Capital Partners acquired Church’s Texas Chicken in 2021.
High Bluff Capital Partners founder Anand Gowda stated: “Church’s Texas Chicken has made significant strides toward revitalising its legendary brand by focusing on delivering outstanding, bold-flavoured chicken, enhancing service and value to customers and staying true to our community-oriented roots. We thank Joe for being an important part of the first major phase of our transformation as he moves on to his next chapter.
“Our priority now is to build on this progress and significantly accelerate our momentum and expansion as we strive to reach $2bn in system sales within the next few years while maximising franchisee profitability.
“To that end, we are thrilled to welcome Roland Gonzalez as our new CEO – a visionary leader who already has had a tremendous impact on Church’s transformation as COO.”
In November 2024, Church’s Texas Chicken re-introduced its original recipe chicken across all US locations.
