Portillo's Announces New CEO With An Eye On Expansion
By Jim Bochnowski in News on Jun 22, 2015 6:10PM
Picture via Portillo's Facebook page
Chicagoland hot dog giant Portillo's has named industry veteran Keith Kinsey as its new CEO and the second chief executive in the company's nearly 50-year history.
Kinsey was most recently the President and Chief Operating Officer of Noodles and Co., according to Crain's. During his ten years at Noodles and Co., the chain expanded to 450 locations nationwide. Kinsey was previously involved with Chipotle's expansion from a regional restaurant into a national chain.
Kinsey is expected to lead Portillo's through its plans to expand its brand further in the coming years. But for those who are concerned with a dilution of the brand that has become so synonymous with Chicago, the new CEO remains committed to providing the same quality food to the customers who have supported Portillo's for years. Kinsey said, in a statement:
"I am thrilled and honored to lead Portillo's- an iconic brand with a rich history. Dick Portillo spent his career building restaurants loved by millions of customers. With his help, I will ensure that our customers continue to enjoy the high-quality food and service they've come to expect from Portillo's"
The restaurant's founder, Dick Portillo, first opened "The Dog House" in Villa Park in 1963 and slowly grew his business over the ensuing years, renaming the restaurant Portillo's in 1967 and expanding to Chicago in 1994, according to the company's website. While the company has stayed true to its Chicagoland roots, in 2005 it opened a location in California and followed up with three locations in 2013 near the Chicago Cubs' spring training facility in Arizona. Most recently, as a "sorry" to Lightning fans for winning the Stanley Cup, Portillo's announced it would be opening a location in Tampa. Through it all, Portillo remained the company's sole CEO.
With an eye on more aggressive expansion, Portillo announced to the Chicago Tribune in July that he was interested in exploring alternatives for the Chicago chain. The company announced that Berkshire Partners was investing in the company, with Portillo retiring as CEO but remaining actively involved in operations. At the time of the deal, Reuters reported that Berkshire was spending at least $1 billion for the acquisition.
At the time of the sale, Portillo said in a statement, "Portillo's is my life's work and I remain committed to ensuring the continued growth and success of the business. I was seeking an experienced partner that shared our vision for the company and an appreciation for our culture."