ATLANTA – GoTo Foods, the platform company behind seven iconic foodservice brands, Auntie Anne’s®, Carvel®, Cinnabon®, Jamba®, McAlister’s Deli®, Moe’s Southwest Grill® and Schlotzsky’s®, appoints Nathan Baldwin as the new Chief Brand Officer for Auntie Anne’s. Baldwin steps into the role at a pivotal moment for the brand, as Auntie Anne’s continues its modernization journey and sharpens its focus on amplified cultural relevance.
Nathan Baldwin joins GoTo Foods with more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry, where he has been recognized for his expertise in multi-unit operations, franchise leadership, and brand strategy. Most recently, Mr. Baldwin served as Group Vice President of Strategic Innovation at The Fresh Market where he oversaw culinary R&D, restaurant concepts, private label and local product development as well as catering, deli and prepared meals.
Additionally, Mr. Baldwin served as Vice President of Restaurant Services at Chili’s Grill & Bar where he guided cross-functional teams spanning operations services, facilities management, guest and team relations, and franchise growth. Throughout his career, Nathan has influenced strategic decisions impacting more than 40,000 team members and helping drive growth for organizations generating sales of over $4 billion.
“Auntie Anne’s is well on the path of modernization for the next generation of consumers by launching a new visual identity this year and remodeling more than 150 stores with a bold, modern and mobile-first design,” said Mike Freeman, SVP, Brands. “Nathan Baldwin’s franchise operations expertise and focus on innovation will continue to position Auntie Anne’s as a leader in the growing snack category. Nathan also brings a deep passion for keeping Auntie Anne’s front and center in the cultural conversation – a commitment that aligns perfectly with the brand modernization strategy and sets the stage for even greater momentum ahead.”
Under Mr. Baldwin’s leadership, the Auntie Anne’s brand will continue expanding into high traffic streetside locations, airports and non-traditional venues. The new brand design includes modular store formats that are developed to reduce buildout costs. Auntie Anne’s is also fueling long-term growth with new co-branding franchise locations with development incentives for agreements signed by December 15, 2025.
About GoTo Foods
Atlanta-based platform company GoTo Foods (formerly known as Focus Brands) is a leading developer of global multi-channel foodservice brands. As of September 28, 2025, GoTo Foods, through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of over 7,100 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shoppes and bakeries in all 50 states and in 70 countries and territories under the Auntie Anne’s®, Carvel®, Cinnabon®, Jamba®, Moe’s Southwest Grill®, McAlister’s Deli® and Schlotzsky’s® brand names, as well as the Seattle’s Best Coffee® brand on certain military bases and in certain international markets. The iconic GoTo Foods brands benefit from strong enterprise growth engines, including marketing, digital, technology and franchise sales & development to propel growth and brand performance. Please visit www.gotofoods.com and connect with us on LinkedIn to learn more.
GoTo Foods is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®, the most definitive “employer-of-choice” recognition, and the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience for the second consecutive year.
About Auntie Anne’s
Auntie Anne’s® was founded in 1988 and is known for mixing, twisting, and baking pretzels to golden brown perfection in full view of guests. The stores can be found in malls, outlet centers, universities, airports, select Walmart- locations, travel plazas, military bases, and food trucks. As of September 28, 2025, there are more than 2,100 locations in 49 states and 26 countries and territories. Fans can now order their favorite pretzel snacks for delivery, pickup and catering through the Auntie Anne’s Rewards app. Join Auntie Anne’s rewards for special offers. For more information, visit auntieannes.com, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.
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