Freddy’s Beefs Up Development Team With New Members

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is beefing up its leadership team with the addition of multiple new members.

The fast-casual brand announced July 20 the promotion of six-year Freddy’s veteran Andrew Thengvall to chief development officer. Thengvall previously served as senior vice president of strategic growth and chief legal officer.

“Andrew Thengvall’s dedication to advising and strengthening the Freddy’s brand has been stellar, and we have the utmost trust in his ability to continue to accelerate our franchise growth in this expanded position,” said Chris Dull, CEO, in a press release. “We are thrilled that he has taken on this new role and excited to see him lead this skilled and enthusiastic team of experts to capitalize on our opportunities for expansion as one of the fastest-growing franchises in the country.”

Freddy’s also announced the promotions of Mary Coots, who joined the team in May, and Todd Phelps, who came on last month. Coots will serve as the director of franchise development, and Phelps will work as the director of franchise real estate.

Coots most recently served as senior franchise sales manager at Global Franchise Group. Before joining Freddy’s, Phelps held real estate management and director positions with the Wendy’s Co., RetailCorridor.com, Great Clips and GolfTEC.

The team will be responsible for establishing market prioritization, franchise sales and DMA management, as well as identifying prospective new franchisees and coaching prospects.

“In the midst of such an exciting period of growth for Freddy’s, their combined wealth of franchise sales and real estate experience will be a valuable asset as we define our growth plans and decisions. I look forward to leading this team as we accelerate Freddy’s momentum and drive the concept’s footprint throughout markets nationwide,” said Thengvall.

These investments in the company’s development leadership team come as Freddy’s continues to expand its footprint. Despite a pandemic wreaking havoc on operators last year, the fast-casual brand opened 30 new restaurants in 2020, including its milestone 400th location.