The Restaurant Industry Veteran Prioritizes Employees, Customers and Community
BurgerFi International, the parent company of BurgerFi and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings, appointed Carl Bachmann as chief executive officer (CEO). Bachmann brings extensive experience in the burger and pizza spaces to the CEO role.
“I am thrilled to take over this new role, transitioning to a publicly traded company. I am excited about the opportunity to lead BurgerFi International,” Bachmann said. For him, the stakeholders, employees, customers and the community are his top priorities.
Bachmann has been in the restaurant business since he was 12 years old and cannot see himself in any other business. He started in food franchising as a Ruby Tuesday franchisee and grew his portfolio to over $26 million in annual revenue. With firsthand experience, he possesses an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that franchise owners faces. He’s passionate about food and quality and especially loves comfort food, such as burgers, pizza, and wings. Bachmann appreciates the passion surrounding food franchise brands.
Bachmann was impressed by BurgerFi International’s leadership team because they are excited about the future of their brands. Ophir Sternberg, executive chairman of BurgerFi and founder and CEO of Lionheart Capital, is thrilled to have Bachmann on board. “Carl brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in the restaurant space that will be valuable for our enterprise. His successful leadership of restaurants combined with his innovative experiences — particularly within the burger and pizza spaces — give him a unique and deep understanding of our brands.”
A Winning Attitude
Bachmann urges aspiring franchise owners to do their research and have financial backing. Drawing from his experience in training and developing franchise teams, he believes that franchisors can make operations seamless by being a support center for franchisees. “We are making a commitment to be a support center for our franchisees and corporate stores with our three W’s – win, win, win mentality.”
About BurgerFi
BurgerFi is a chef-founded burger franchise that uses 100% American Angus Beef with no steroids, antibiotics, growth hormones, chemicals or additives, according to a press release. BurgerFi’s menu includes Wagyu Beef Blend Burgers, Antibiotic and Cage-Free Chicken offerings, and more.
About Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings
The pizza brand was acquired by BurgerFi International in November 2021. Known for premium pizza and wings, it operates 60 corporate-owned casual restaurant locations across the U.S., according to a press release.