BBQ Holdings Hires New VP of Franchise Sales and Real Estate

Minnetonka, Minn. — BBQ Holdings, Inc., the multi-brand restaurant company behind concepts such as Famous Dave’s and Granite City Food and Brewery, and the newly acquired Village Inn and Bakers Square, has hired Manny Packing as the brand’s new vice president of franchise sales and real estate.

Most recently, Packing was the director of international real estate and construction for Inspire Brands, the owner and franchisor of several legacy franchise brands, including Arby’s, Sonic Drive-In, Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins. While there, Packing was responsible for onboarded new franchisees and led efforts to market, plan and develop new territories and build new restaurants across the company’s network of over 32,000 locations.

Packing has also held franchise sales, operations and other development roles with Buffalo Wild Wings, Pinkberry and Yum! Brands, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and more.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Manny to our BBQ Holdings’s family and we are confident that he will be the perfect addition to our leadership team,” says Jeff Crivello, CEO of BBQ Holdings. “The BBQ Holdings portfolio is expanding rapidly and we are proud to have an experienced industry veteran like Manny to guide our growth. Manny will help us partner with the right candidates as we expand our footprint across the country and take our brand to the next level.”

BBQ Holdings, Inc. is a national restaurant company that, as of September 20, 2021, had six brands with 296 locations in three countries including 84 company-owned locations and 213 franchised locations. In addition, the company opened eight Famous Dave’s ghost kitchens operating within its Granite City locations, and 19 Famous Dave’s franchisee ghost kitchens operating out of the kitchen of another restaurant location or a shared kitchen space.

SOURCE: BBQ Holdings, Inc.