Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. has announced the completion of the rebuilding of the company’s senior leadership team with the appointment of Kara Conklin as its new vice president of franchise development, effective November 13. She is reporting directly to Rob Sarlls, CEO of the company.
The addition of Conklin completes Rocky Mountain Chocolate’s senior leadership team. With this move, coupled with the Company’s ongoing rebranding and store redesign efforts, Rocky Mountain Chocolate is now poised to secure new store opening commitments, from both existing franchisees and particularly new multi-unit operators, toward realizing the company’s strategic plan to open over 100 new franchised stores over the next several years.
Conklin has nearly two decades of franchise development and operating experience, beginning her career with the Subway network, Quiznos, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Jamba, among others. Most recently, she served as director of franchise sales for the West Coast for Focus Brands, representing such brands as Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzksy’s.
“I am delighted to welcome Kara to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate team,” said CEO Rob Sarlls. “Kara brings a wealth of highly relevant experience, a strong track record with multi-unit operators, and excitement for our brand transformation. Her passion and drive to broadly expand Rocky Mountain Chocolate, both geographically and especially with sophisticated franchisee investors, will serve us well in driving store growth and increased demand for our premium chocolate products.”
“I am honored to join the Rocky Mountain Chocolate family, especially at this exciting pivotal moment in the Company’s history,” said Conklin. “While a passion for, and love of, chocolate has always been a driver for franchise investments, substantial AUV growth since COVID, coupled with the brand’s new look and pending store redesign, together make for a powerful and compelling selling proposition. I am excited to work with our best existing franchisees, as well as new multi-unit investors, to expand Rocky Mountain Chocolate’s footprint.”
In addition, the company announced its partnership with Design Well Spent Co., LLC, an international award-winning retail and hospitality design firm, to work with the company on creating the new store look for its company-owned stores, its franchisee-owned stores, and other licensed locations.
Design Well Spent Co., led by Founder Tobi Wray, brings a wealth of design experience from working with large and small retail formats, both company and franchisee owned, with such clients as Amazon, Starbucks, Teavana, and Treat (a health and wellness concept of XWELL, Inc.). Design Well Spent Co. will work with Rocky Mountain Chocolate on the redesign, and incorporation of the company’s new brand look, of its flagship Durango, Colorado location, while also developing store redesign templates for the vompany’s 150 franchisee owned chocolate shops and for brand representations found in licensed formats. Rocky Mountain Chocolate and its franchisee partners will begin working on updating stores starting with the second calendar quarter of 2024.
“We could not be more excited to partner with Rocky Mountain Chocolate on their new customer experience,” said Tobi Wray. "Rocky Mountain Chocolate has an incredible product and strong loyal following, and now it’s our job to marry our fresh, experiential ideas and a new aesthetic, with an in-store experience that embodies the quality of their products and where they are headed as a brand. We are confident the expertise we bring in innovative retail and hospitality design will take Rocky Mountain Chocolate to the next level.”
“The experience and fresh ideas Tobi and the Design Well Spent Co. team bring with them will be a great help as we redesign and refresh the Rocky Mountain Chocolate brand for our in-store customers,” said Andrew Ford, vice president, sales and marketing at RMC. “The team at Design Well Spent Co. brings relevant experience from multiple store formats, whether street front, lifestyle center, mall, or airport that will be a great asset to our existing franchisee stores as well as future new build concepts.”
