New Leadership

Pollo Campero has appointed Julio Sánchez as CEO of its U.S. business, effective immediately, as the Guatemalan-born quick-service chicken chain surpasses 150 domestic units and presses toward broader national expansion. Sánchez succeeds Luis Javier Rodas, who served as chief operating officer and concluded nearly 26 years with parent company CMI on Oct. 16.

Sánchez arrives with more than 25 years of multi-geography QSR experience spanning operations, franchising, and brand development across North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. Most recently he served as chief operating officer of CKE International, the international arm of Carl's Jr., and held senior roles at Pizza Hut, Burger King, and Church's Chicken — a portfolio that underscores deep competency in both company-operated and franchise-driven growth models.

Growth Priorities

In his new role, Sánchez will focus on four near-term levers: operational excellence, same-store sales acceleration, brand awareness, and guest-experience elevation. The mandate reflects a classic two-track playbook common among emerging QSR brands crossing the 150-unit threshold — tighten unit economics before accelerating the development pipeline.

"Julio combines deep operational expertise with sound business judgment and a proven record of delivering results," said José Gregorio Baquero, global CEO of CMI Foods. "He is the right leader to guide Campero into its next stage of growth." Sánchez, for his part, cited the brand's heritage and hospitality culture as key draws: "As we bring Pollo Campero to more communities across the U.S., I'm committed to putting our restaurant team members and guests at the forefront."

Market Context

The leadership move comes as the U.S. chicken QSR segment remains one of the most competitive in foodservice. Established players — Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane's, Wingstop, and Popeyes — have pushed average unit volumes and comp-sales expectations higher, raising the bar for any brand seeking to grow its footprint through area development agreements and franchise recruitment. Pollo Campero's differentiated positioning around fried and roasted chicken with Latin-rooted recipes gives it a distinct flavor profile, but brand awareness outside Hispanic-dominant trade areas remains a recognized gap — one Sánchez's experience in new-market brand introductions is directly suited to address.

Globally, Pollo Campero operates more than 400 restaurants across the United States, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador, and employs more than 10,000 people. The brand is a unit of Corporación Multi Inversiones (CMI), a family-owned multilatina corporation with operations in 15 countries. For operators tracking emerging QSR franchise development, Campero's domestic trajectory — and the credentials of its new U.S. chief — will be worth monitoring as the chain works to convert regional loyalty into a scalable national footprint. Sánchez's hands-on floor-level leadership style is also consistent with trends highlighted in restaurant operations coverage showing that high-growth chains increasingly favor operators over strategists in top seats.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.