MARKHAM, Ont. — Sean Bell, formerly the CFO of Mary Brown’s Chicken, is the new president of Fat Bastard Burrito, Co. In July, Fat Bastard Burrito, Co. was acquired by MBI Brands, joining Mary Brown’s Chicken under one umbrella company.
Bell was instrumental in closing the acquisition and brings his record of achievement at Mary Brown’s Chicken to his new role, having led finance, IT, risk management, people and culture, procurement and culinary functions. He also added team members and implemented processes to facilitate continued expansion, as well as being one of the lead contacts for the brand’s franchisee advisory committee.
His career has been exclusively in the food-and-beverage industry, including Tier 1 CPG brands such as Coca-Cola, Coors Canada, Maple Leaf Foods and Mars. Additionally, Bell led the finance function for Montana’s Cookhouse and Kelsey’s Roadhouse at Recipe Unlimited. He was also co-owner and CFO for The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro and helped facilitate a sale to MTY Food Group.
“The two brands are quite complementary. They are both 100- per-cent Canadian owned and operated franchise businesses, both serve premium quality made-fresh food, and both have exceptional growth potential in the QSR space. What’s also notable is that they can co-exist in close proximity without fear of cannibalizing each other as they appeal to different demographic groups and are strong in different day parts,” says Bell. “Today, Fat Bastard Burrito is just in Ontario, but we have the talent, the infrastructure and the vendor partnerships to go coast-to-coast. The brand has many strengths. We have already started the process of building on those strengths, actively engaging with franchisees to make enhancements where needed. In short, we’re ready to do business and seeking qualified franchisees to take advantage of this incredible opportunity.”
