New CCO to Drive Digital, Loyalty, and Franchise Performance

Church's Texas Chicken has named Kevin Nemeth Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, effective immediately. In the role, Nemeth will oversee commercial strategy across brand, marketing, digital, loyalty, CRM, guest engagement, menu strategy, pricing, and product innovation.

Nemeth brings 15+ years of experience in digital transformation and growth across restaurant, retail, financial services, and consumer brands. Most recently, he served as Chief Digital & Marketing Officer for Authentic Restaurant Brands, managing marketing and digital strategy across a multi-brand portfolio. His prior roles include leadership positions at Popeyes, TD Bank, L'Oréal, and HSN.

Proven Digital Track Record

At Popeyes, Nemeth scaled digital sales from roughly 4% to nearly 20% of total sales and launched Popeyes Rewards, which reached more than 5 million users within six months. His expertise centers on loyalty programs, CRM infrastructure, media strategy, off-premise channels, and restaurant-level performance optimization.

Strategic Focus Areas

Nemeth's mandate includes strengthening Church's commercial capabilities—from brand positioning and cultural relevance to guest digital engagement, menu innovation, and traffic-driving initiatives. He will also prioritize supporting franchisees at the unit level and improving visit frequency while maintaining the brand's value proposition.

"Church's is entering an important phase of growth, and our ability to connect with guests in more relevant and measurable ways will be critical to our continued success," said Roland Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of Church's Texas Chicken. "Kevin understands how to drive traffic, increase frequency, and translate stronger engagement into meaningful restaurant-level performance. He will help us continue delivering the value and experience people have come to expect from Church's since 1952."

Nemeth added: "Church's is a brand with a strong foundation and a lot of opportunity ahead. What stood out to me is the combination of real growth potential and the genuine connection to the communities it serves. I'm excited to help build on that and support the brand's next chapter."

Company Context

Church's Texas Chicken operates more than 1,400 locations across 25 countries with system-wide sales exceeding $1.6 billion. The chain is owned by High Bluff Capital Partners and FS Investments (since 2021). The brand specializes in hand-battered, double-breaded chicken, tenders, sandwiches, and signature Honey-Butter Biscuits.

Why It Matters

For operators and franchisees, Nemeth's appointment signals Church's commitment to modernizing its digital and loyalty infrastructure—a critical priority for independent and emerging QSR brands competing against national players with established loyalty ecosystems. His proven ability to scale digital channels and franchisee support could accelerate unit-level performance and system growth in a competitive fast-casual chicken segment.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors