Name: Christopher Held
New title: Chief supply officer, 7 Brew
Previous title: Chief supply officer, Inspire Brands
7 Brew hired Held as its first chief supply officer to support the chain’s rapid expansion, the company said in a Wednesday press release. The chain, which uses modular construction to reduce buildout times, has over 400 locations and has been named the fastest-growing chain in the country. At the start of 2021, the chain had only eight units.
Held will help scale operations, optimize the supply chain and ensure that products are consistently available across the chain’s U.S. stands.
In his previous role, Held was also the first chief supply officer at Inspire Brands, where he helped grow the company from 3,500 restaurants to 32,000 globally. He led supply chain teams across Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s and Sonic, according to the press release. His career also includes serving as senior vice president for KFC and as a consultant to McKinsey.
“[Held’s] deep experience and leadership will be instrumental in overseeing the management of distribution, procurement, commodity management, demand planning and quality assurance, driving the expansion of 7 Brew,” President Chris Dawson said in a statement. “This not only supports our rapid growth, but also ensures consistency across our stands.”
The addition of Held comes just six months after the chain added its first chief marketing officer, Nick Chavez, who supports new restaurant launches. The chain also hired Dawson as president last September.
