Playa Bowls names new growth, development, marketing chiefs
Playa Bowls is shaking up its C-suite as it continues to grow its footprint.
The fast-casual superfruit bowl chain is expanding its leadership team with a series of key appointments and promotions as it prepares to grow beyond 400 shops nationwide. Playa Bowls says the moves will bring “enhanced focus” across development, marketing and digital, positioning the brand to support its next wave of expansion.
Jayson Tipp, formerly chief development officer, has been named chief growth officer, expanding his role to oversee development, technology and digital marketing while leading the brand's enterprise growth strategy. Tipp has been with Playa Bowls since August 2023.
Playa Bowls has appointed Patrick Turek as chief development officer. In this role, Turek will lead franchise development, real estate, design and construction, with a focus on “strategic, profitable expansion.”
Turek brings more than 20 years of experience in real estate and franchise development across high-growth restaurant brands. Most recently, he served as senior VP of development at Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, spending nearly three years with the company in total. Prior to that, he held development and real estate leadership roles at Panera Bread.
[READ MORE: Playa Bowls set to open first of 160-plus Canadian locations]
Tim Hackbardt has been appointed as chief marketing officer of Playa Bowls. The brand says Hackbardt has been working closely with the team in recent months to help shape a strong product innovation pipeline, bringing a strategic approach to menu development and brand storytelling.
Hackbardt brings more than 30 years of marketing leadership experience across multi-unit restaurant brands. He has held leadership roles with brands including Del Taco, Inspire Brands and BJ's Restaurants, where he led integrated marketing strategies, digital transformation and “high-impact” product innovation.
Mark Foulds has also been named VP of digital marketing and will lead digital, loyalty, and performance marketing strategies. Foulds brings extensive experience in digital marketing, loyalty and global brand strategy, with a background spanning leadership roles at Inspire Brands and Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux.
Finally, Playa Bowls founder Abby Taylor will continue to guide and shape the brand's creative direction as chief creative officer. As the “creative force” behind the brand, Taylor remains closely involved in everything from product and visual identity to the in-shop experience.
"Playa Bowls is a brand that consumers feel a real connection to, from our acai bowls packed with beneficial ingredients to the vibe in our shops, there's nothing quite like it, and as we continue to grow, our focus is to protect the brand and leverage our scale," said John Cappasola, CEO of Playa Bowls. "Beyond supporting our growth and franchise owners, this team brings an experienced perspective that will strengthen how we develop shops, evolve our systems and processes, and continue building a brand that resonates in every market we enter."
Founded in 2014, Playa Bowls operates 400 stores across 30 states. The chain’s menu includes over 40 items, including acai, pitaya, green and coconut bowls alongside oatmeal bowls, juices, smoothies and cold brew.
