GoTo Foods
GoTo Foods is a U.S.-based multi-brand franchising company formerly known as Focus Brands.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
GoTo Foods, formerly Focus Brands, is an American multi-brand restaurant franchising company owned by private-equity firm Roark Capital Group. The company operates a portfolio of primarily quick-service, fast-casual, snack, dessert, bakery and beverage concepts rather than presenting a single consumer-facing restaurant identity. Its portfolio includes Schlotzsky's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Moe's Southwest Grill, McAlister's Deli, Auntie Anne's and Jamba. The group is based in Sandy Springs, Georgia, and operates more than 6,700 stores globally according to the cited encyclopedia reference. The business developed through Roark's acquisition and consolidation of established foodservice brands. Roark acquired Carvel in 2001. In November 2004, it acquired Cinnabon and the international operations of Seattle's Best Coffee from AFC Enterprises, bringing those businesses together under the Focus Brands affiliate. Focus subsequently expanded through additional brand purchases, acquiring Schlotzsky's from Bobby Cox Companies in 2006 and Moe's Southwest Grill from Raving Brands in 2007. In 2010, it added Auntie Anne's, a large mall-oriented pretzel franchiser. The portfolio has spanned several restaurant occasions and formats. Carvel and Cinnabon are associated with desserts and baked goods; Auntie Anne's is centered on pretzels and mall-based snack retail; Jamba focuses on smoothies and related beverages; Moe's Southwest Grill offers Mexican-inspired fast-casual food; McAlister's Deli operates in the deli and fast-casual restaurant category; and Schlotzsky's is known for sandwiches and bakery-oriented menu items. The portfolio approach allows the parent company to support franchise systems with different dayparts, site types and customer occasions while maintaining distinct brand identities. Management changes accompanied the company's expansion. Kat Cole was named chief operating officer in 2017, and Jim Holthouser became chief executive officer in February 2020. In August 2018, Focus Brands announced an agreement to acquire Jamba, formerly known as Jamba Juice; the transaction was completed in September of that year. In February 2024, the company announced that it was changing its corporate identity from Focus Brands to GoTo Foods. The rebrand signaled a broader group identity for the collection of restaurant concepts while leaving the individual consumer brands as the main operating and marketing units. GoTo Foods is therefore best understood as a private, brand-owning and franchising platform in the restaurant industry, not as a public company or a single chain. Its economic model is centered on brand ownership, franchise development and support, and operation of a large network of locations across the United States and international markets. No public ticker, public-company financial statements or independently verified revenue figures are provided in the available reference material.
History
GoTo Foods traces its development to Roark Capital Group's strategy of assembling established restaurant and foodservice brands under a common ownership and franchising platform. Roark acquired Carvel in 2001. Carvel gave the group a major presence in frozen desserts and provided the initial anchor for the later Focus Brands structure. In November 2004, Roark acquired Cinnabon and the international operations of Seattle's Best Coffee from AFC Enterprises. These businesses were combined with Carvel under a Focus Brands affiliate. The combination created a diversified platform spanning frozen desserts, baked goods and coffee-related operations, with a structure designed to manage multiple franchise systems rather than merge them into one consumer brand. Focus Brands continued to grow through acquisitions. In 2006, it purchased Schlotzsky's from Bobby Cox Companies. Schlotzsky's had itself changed ownership after a bankruptcy-related period, and its addition broadened the portfolio into sandwiches and bakery-oriented restaurant offerings. On August 11, 2007, Focus Brands announced that it had purchased Moe's Southwest Grill from Raving Brands. Moe's brought a Mexican-inspired fast-casual concept and added another significant restaurant format to the group. In October 2010, Focus Brands acquired Auntie Anne's. Auntie Anne's was particularly associated with mall-based locations and pretzel products, expanding the portfolio into snack-focused retail and high-traffic shopping environments. The acquisition also reinforced the company's reliance on franchising and varied location formats, from traditional restaurants to smaller venues and food-court sites. The company later made management and portfolio changes as it continued operating as a multi-brand platform. Kat Cole was named chief operating officer in June 2017. In August 2018, Focus Brands announced that it would acquire Jamba, a smoothie company previously known as Jamba Juice. The transaction closed on September 14, 2018, adding a beverage and health-oriented quick-service concept to the group. Jim Holthouser was named chief executive officer in February 2020. In February 2024, the company announced a rebrand under the name GoTo Foods. The new corporate name replaced Focus Brands as the umbrella identity, while the operating portfolio remained composed of separately marketed concepts including Schlotzsky's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Moe's Southwest Grill, McAlister's Deli, Auntie Anne's and Jamba. The company is headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, and the cited reference describes it as operating more than 6,700 stores globally. The resulting organization is a private restaurant-brand owner and franchisor within Roark Capital Group. Its history is defined less by the creation of a single chain than by the acquisition, management and expansion of multiple established concepts across desserts, bakery, snacks, beverages, sandwiches and fast-casual meals.
- 2024
Corporate rebrand to GoTo Foods
[1]Focus Brands announced a new corporate identity, GoTo Foods.
- 2020
Jim Holthouser becomes chief executive
[1]Jim Holthouser was named chief executive officer.
- 2018
Jamba joins the portfolio
[1]Focus Brands announced and completed its acquisition of Jamba, formerly known as Jamba Juice.
- 2017
Kat Cole named chief operating officer
[1]Kat Cole was appointed chief operating officer of Focus Brands.
- 2010
Auntie Anne's acquired
[1]Focus Brands acquired the pretzel franchiser Auntie Anne's.
- 2007
Moe's Southwest Grill acquired
[1]Focus Brands announced the purchase of Moe's Southwest Grill from Raving Brands.
- 2006
Schlotzsky's acquired
[1]Focus Brands purchased Schlotzsky's from Bobby Cox Companies.
- 2004
Cinnabon and international Seattle's Best Coffee operations join the platform
[1]Roark acquired Cinnabon and the international operations of Seattle's Best Coffee from AFC Enterprises and combined them with Carvel under Focus Brands.
- 2001
Roark acquires Carvel
[1]Roark Capital Group acquired Carvel, creating an early foundation for the later multi-brand restaurant platform.
Products and positioning
A private-equity-owned multi-brand restaurant franchising platform that manages a diversified portfolio of established quick-service, fast-casual, bakery, dessert, snack and beverage brands.
Bakery and dessert chain
Cinnabon
A bakery and dessert brand centered on cinnamon rolls and related baked goods. Cinnabon is one of the group's best-known specialty food concepts and commonly operates through mall, retail and other high-traffic locations.
Frozen dessert chain
Carvel
A frozen-dessert brand associated with ice cream, frozen cakes and other dessert products. It was the earliest major food brand acquired by Roark Capital Group in the portfolio's development.
Pretzel and snack chain
Auntie Anne's
A snack-focused franchised concept best known for pretzels and related products. Its historically strong presence in malls and other shopping environments gives the group exposure to smaller-format and impulse-oriented food retail.
Smoothie and beverage chain · 2018
Jamba
A smoothie and beverage brand formerly known as Jamba Juice. It joined the Focus Brands portfolio through an acquisition announced in 2018 and completed in September of that year.
Mexican-inspired fast-casual restaurant · 2007
Moe's Southwest Grill
A fast-casual restaurant concept offering Mexican-inspired meals. Focus Brands acquired the brand from Raving Brands in 2007, broadening its portfolio beyond bakery, dessert and snack concepts.
Fast-casual deli restaurant
McAlister's Deli
A fast-casual deli concept within the GoTo Foods portfolio, associated with deli-style meals and restaurant dining. The available reference identifies it as one of the company's current operating brands but does not provide detailed acquisition or product-history information.
Sandwich and bakery-oriented restaurant · 2006
Schlotzsky's
A sandwich-focused restaurant brand with bakery-oriented menu associations. Focus Brands acquired Schlotzsky's from Bobby Cox Companies in 2006 after the brand had passed through a bankruptcy-related ownership period.
Brand decisions
2024
Rebrand Focus Brands as GoTo FoodsStrategyBackground
The company had grown into a portfolio owner operating several distinct restaurant brands.
Action taken
The company announced a new corporate name, GoTo Foods.
Aftermath
The corporate umbrella identity changed while the individual restaurant brands continued to operate as separate consumer-facing concepts.
2018
Acquire JambaM&ABackground
Jamba, formerly known as Jamba Juice, provided Focus Brands with a smoothie and beverage platform.
Action taken
Focus Brands announced the acquisition in August 2018 and completed it on September 14, 2018.
Aftermath
Jamba became part of the company's multi-brand portfolio and expanded its presence in beverage-led quick service.
2007
Acquire Moe's Southwest GrillM&ABackground
Focus Brands sought to expand its collection of franchised foodservice concepts beyond desserts, bakery and snack brands.
Action taken
The company announced the purchase of Moe's Southwest Grill from Raving Brands.
Aftermath
Moe's added a Mexican-inspired fast-casual restaurant concept to the portfolio.
2004
Combine Carvel, Cinnabon and international Seattle's Best Coffee operationsM&ABackground
Roark Capital Group had acquired Carvel and then purchased Cinnabon and the international operations of Seattle's Best Coffee from AFC Enterprises.
Action taken
The businesses were brought together under a Focus Brands affiliate as a multi-brand foodservice platform.
Aftermath
The combination established the portfolio model that later expanded through additional restaurant acquisitions.
Recent events
FOCUS Brands names Beto Guajardo to lead its international business[2]
Reported:
FOCUS Brands announced that Beto Guajardo will lead its international business effective at the end of April, succeeding Mike Kehoe.
Tory Bartlett to become Schlotzsky’s COO and Brand Leader[2]
Reported:
FOCUS Brands announced that Tory Bartlett, then Schlotzsky’s Chief Customer Experience Officer, will become the brand's COO and Brand Leader.
FOCUS Brands appoints Jim Holthouser CEO[3]
Reported:
FOCUS Brands announced that Jim Holthouser would join the company as CEO effective immediately, succeeding Steve DeSutter, who is retiring.
Focus Brands appoints Jim Holthouser as CEO[4]
Reported:
Focus Brands announced Jim Holthouser's appointment as CEO, effective immediately; he succeeds Steve DeSutter, who is retiring.
Sources4 sources
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