Rita Bettino, Former PepsiCo Marketing Director, Joins BIGGBY® COFFEE as New CMO

LANSING, MI — BIGGBY® COFFEE, the non-traditional coffeehouse with over 360 locations open nationwide, has welcomed Rita Bettino to the team as Chief Marketing Officer. With decades of experience in a variety of marketing roles, Bettino brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the system. Notably, she played a pivotal role at PepsiCo – in collaboration with her customer Taco Bell – in launching the Doritos Locos Taco™, one of the most successful product launches in fast food history. Her extensive career also includes significant contributions at Brown-Forman and Colgate Palmolive, in addition to starting her own marketing consultancy.  As she contemplated reentering the corporate world, a friend put Bettino in touch with BIGGBY® COFFEE, and she quickly realized the vision and shared values were a great fit.

"BIGGBY® COFFEE's mission of supporting people in building the life they love and their vision of improving workplace culture in America really resonated with me,” said Bettino. “The farm-direct program in particular struck a chord. I was looking for a company that I could genuinely feel good working for and where I could make a positive impact.”

As Chief Marketing Officer, Bettino will play a pivotal role in advancing BIGGBY® COFFEE's strategic objectives, including strengthening its positioning as a trailblazer in the coffee sector and ensuring that both potential franchisees and guests understand and appreciate what makes the brand special.

"When I first learned about the opportunity at BIGGBY® COFFEE, I thought it would be so fun to help this company grow,” said Bettino. “Bob Fish and Mike McFall, the co-founders, had a great idea and they — along with the original team — have done a phenomenal job of establishing the brand. I just want to build on that success and help them take it to the next level. "

Bettino recognizes the central role a franchise owner plays in shaping the guest experience. She firmly believes the quality of the customer experience is intrinsically tied to the happiness and commitment of the frontline franchisees and employees. As BIGGBY® COFFEE continues to grow, Bettino is dedicated to supporting local owners and operators in helping them be profitable, create a healthy working environment, and provide a positive, community-centered experience for their customers.

"I firmly believe that a great customer experience starts with a positive frontline employee experience,” she said. “If our owner/operators and baristas feel invested and happy, BIGGBY® COFFEE customers will, too."

Bettino is committed to crafting a memorable experience throughout the organization by leveraging brand strategy, in-store enhancements, product development, merchandising and digital initiatives. She wholeheartedly embraces the collective passion of franchisees, store level employees – as well as the home office staff – for shaping the brand's future. Through these efforts, the influence and appeal of the BIGGBY® COFFEE brand and its core values will continue to grow and thrive.

Looking forward to her future with the brand, Bettino said she plans to approach these goals as she approaches any other in her life — by fully embracing the experience.  

“It's all about leaning in and embracing the journey — inclusive of whatever comes along with it — whether it’s success, failure, triumphs or hurdles,” she explained. “Some people fear change, but I see change as a potential opportunity for new thinking and innovation. BIGGBY® COFFEE prides itself on being a different kind of coffee shop – one that is striving to positively change the industry. I am ecstatic to lean into this new venture and help them accomplish that vision.”

About The BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise

BIGGBY® COFFEE, based in East Lansing, Mich., was started with a single store on March 15, 1995. One year later, and on the cusp of opening a second location, Bob Fish and Michael McFall, on a handshake and $4,000, decided to franchise the concept. The brand’s cultural values of Make Friends, Have Fun, B Yourself and Share Great Coffee help coffee lovers and the coffee-curious alike benefit from a less pretentious and fun approach to the standard gourmet cafe paradigm. Besides connoisseur-worthy drinks with names like Teddy Bear® and Caramel Marvel®, BIGGBY® COFFEE baristas provide a unique experience focused on brightening their customers’ day and supporting them in building a life they love. The “Big ‘B’” on the orange background caught on, and today BIGGBY® COFFEE has over 360 cafes across many states, including Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Florida.