Dive Brief:
- Fresh Stop has hired Ryan Blevins as senior vice president of sales and operations, the convenience retailer announced on Wednesday.
- Blevins joins Fresh Stop from Tennessee c-store retailer Weigel’s, where he was director of food and beverage innovation for nearly four years, according to his LinkedIn bio. At Fresh Stop, Blevins “will oversee store performance, foodservice strategy, and operational standards,” according to the announcement.
- Blevins’ operations-focused leadership role could fill a void left by Scott Burchfield, Fresh Stop’s former chief operating officer who resigned less than a month ago.
Dive Insight:
The food offerings at Fresh Stop — which has over 30 c-stores open in or planned for four states — center around its grab-and-go grocery cooler, coffee bar, cold beverage station and roller grill, which features a variety of hot dog and Tornado flavors.
But Fresh Stop is now hoping to take its food ambitions further, illustrated by Blevins’ hiring. He will play a “key role in shaping Fresh Stop’s culinary vision and developing programs that drive traffic and strengthen brand loyalty,” the company said.
“With consumer demand for fresh, convenient, and high-quality meal options on the rise, Fresh Stop is investing in menu development, operational execution, and in-store culinary experiences that set a new standard in the convenience retail space,” the company said in its announcement. “Blevins’ expertise will be instrumental in guiding this focus and ensuring foodservice becomes a defining element of the brand’s growing identity.”
Prior to joining Weigel’s, Blevins spent about two decades as either a chef, director of food and beverage or culinary innovation head with numerous QSR chains, such as Krystal Restaurants, Taco Mac Restaurant Group, Popeyes, Outback Steakhouse, Maggiano’s and Romano’s Macaroni Grill, according to his LinkedIn bio.
“My career has taken me from back-of-house roles to leading teams and opening restaurants across the globe, and I could not be more excited to bring that experience to Fresh Stop,” said Blevins in the announcement. “This is a tremendous opportunity to help build a world-class foodservice program that is defined by quality, innovation, and a clear point of differentiation in the market.”
