The Franchise Veteran Brings Decades of Experience to the Position
Zaxby’s, a fast-casual chicken concept, appointed Carl Mount as Chief Supply Chain Officer. The franchise industry veteran brings decades of experience in the food and beverage industry to the position. In this new role, Mount will oversee the relationships between franchisees and suppliers.
“The leadership team, brought together by CEO Bernard Acoca, and meeting with several franchisees was the final ‘selling point’ for me. Although I had been a customer in the past, I did not know the brand well. I am excited to bring my experience and knowledge in food and beverage supply chains to this new challenge. I also appreciate the openness of both the franchisor team and franchisees to try new approaches,” Mount said. Acoca and Mount worked together at Starbucks and had mutual connections at Yum! Brands, where Mount served as the head of supply chain for KFC Global.
“Having served in roles both in supply chain and procurement for global brands, Carl will help us optimize solutions that better serve our franchisees, team members and guests for maximum resiliency to supply chain challenges now and in the future. I am excited to partner with Carl again and begin the new year with a strong leadership team that can continue executing our ambitious goals for growing Zaxby’s in the QSR space,” Acoca said.
Mount and Food Franchising
In addition to Yum Brands! and Starbucks, Mount also worked with Diedrich Coffee. “I headed up the supply chain, but also had the opportunity to be the interim president of Gloria Jean’s Coffees for a time during some leadership transitions.” He also served as group operations manager for Coca-Cola and production manager and regional distribution manager for PepsiCo.
Based on his experience, Mount enjoys the franchise aspect of the food industry. “It is great because I love working with motivated owner-operators. Franchisees are usually driven, entrepreneurial, creative, pragmatic, and focused. It is their own business.”
Maximizing Supply Chain Efficiency
While supply chain issues have plagued companies around the world, there are ways to minimize the impact, he said. To Mount, franchisors can maximize supply chain efficiency and value through collaboration. “Suppliers, franchisors, and franchisees work hand-in-hand to focus on a customer-centric supply chain. Balancing quality, cost, availability and resilience are all key components of this work.”
He believes that supply chains in 2023 will still experience volatility. “Inflation and continued disruptions due to ongoing global Covid-19 outbreaks, the Ukraine War, Avian flu, and other risks will continue to impact. Strategic plans to mitigate or reduce these risks will be a continuous focus.”
For Prospective Franchisees
Aspiring entrepreneurs should ask questions and do their due diligence before leaning into the industry, Mount said. “The value of a franchise system is to allow the franchisee to rely on the processes and systems developed through the experience of the franchisor. This applies to supply chains, as well — scale should be able to drive value.”