Columbus, Ohio — Sbarro, a leading global pizza brand known for its Original New York Style Slices and Strombolis, has appointed Mario Bojorquez as its new president, North America. He joins Sbarro from Restaurant Brands International.
“Mario is a talented restaurant executive with a proven track record of results and a solid understanding of franchising in our industry,” says David Karam, Sbarro CEO and chairman of the board.” He is a great cultural fit for Sbarro. His strong people focus and industry expertise will complement the experience and skills of our leadership team as we continue to grow and strengthen our brand.”
Bojorquez spent the last 11 years with Restaurant Brands International (RBI), including the last 4 as head of Asia-Pacific operations for Burger King, Popeyes, Tim Hortons and Firehouse Subs, based in Singapore. There, he guided the company through the pandemic, created the infrastructure to support rapid restaurant expansion in existing and new countries, and drove operational improvements leading to elevated guest experience and improved franchisee profitability. He previously served as the head of marketing for Burger King Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), based in Switzerland, and also had extensive domestic experience in several roles, including as general manager of the Midwest division where he oversaw a portfolio of 1,500 Burger Kings.
Sbarro has opened more than 200 new restaurants in the last 2 years including in new countries such as Colombia, Panama, Poland, Denmark and North Macedonia. While historically Sbarro had been focused primarily on malls and airports, the brand has evolved its positioning and operational innovation to expand into new segments like convenience stores, travel centers, universities, military bases, hospitals and casinos. New segments and strong profitability are the driving forces behind the recent growth, and Sbarro is on pace to open well over 100 net new restaurants in 2024.
For more information, visit Sbarro.com.
SOURCE: SBARRO