CAVA, the category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, today announced the appointment of John Ludeke as Chief Marketing Officer, strengthening its leadership team as the company deepens its relationship with guests, expands nationally and continues to build one of the most distinctive brands in the restaurant industry.

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John Ludeke, Newly-Appointed Chief Marketing Officer at CAVA

In this role, effective October 12, Ludeke will lead CAVA’s marketing organization and partner closely with key functions to strengthen brand differentiation, deepen guest loyalty and engagement, advance digital experiences and more directly connect marketing to the restaurant experience as the company continues its rapid growth.

Ludeke is a marketing leader with more than 17 years of experience building high-growth, culturally relevant, consumer brands and transforming them into category leaders. Most recently, he served as Chief Brand Officer at Dr. Squatch, where he led global brand, creative, brand and retail media, social, public relations, retail marketing, partnerships and marketing strategy as a member of the Executive Leadership Team. During his tenure, he helped grow Dr. Squatch to $500 million in revenue, establish it as a leading men’s personal care brand, guide marketing through its acquisition by Unilever and expand its social presence through large-scale campaigns and celebrity, creator and entertainment partnerships.

Prior to Dr. Squatch, Ludeke spent more than a decade at Monster Energy. Based in Shanghai and Seoul for more than six years, he led marketing across the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, Korea, China, India and Vietnam. As a senior global marketing leader, he also helped shape strategy across dozens of countries and developed talent-driven campaigns and partnerships with global brands including Adidas, Ford, Activision, Tencent, Sony and DJI. His work has been recognized by Adweek, The Drum and the Marketing Agencies Association Worldwide, including placement on the Adweek 50, Adweek Creative 100 and The Drum Rebel 50.

"John is a proven builder of culturally relevant consumer brands and a thoughtful, passionate leader who knows how to turn brand belief into business momentum," said Brett Schulman, Co-founder and CEO of CAVA. "One of the things that stands out about John is his ability to quickly understand the essence of a consumer brand and translate it into a meaningful marketing strategy that is relevant, distinctive, and true to the brand. We have a unique, category-defining opportunity at CAVA to bring the flavors, hospitality, and generosity of the Mediterranean to even more people. John brings the experience to help us do that, along with a leadership style grounded in curiosity, agility, positivity, and collective ambition. Those qualities reflect how we lead at CAVA, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the CAVA table."

Ludeke has a track record of scaling consumer brands, building culture and creating meaningful connections with audiences around the world. In his new role at CAVA, he will help translate the company’s unique Mediterranean ethos into brand experiences that deepen guest connection, strengthen loyalty and support the company’s continued growth.

"CAVA has built something truly special: a brand rooted in great food, warm hospitality and a clear point of view on how food should make people feel," said John Ludeke, CAVA’s newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer. "The company has tremendous momentum and a powerful opportunity to shape the future of the industry. I’m excited to join this team, learn from the team who has built CAVA and help bring CAVA’s Mediterranean spirit to even more guests and communities."

About CAVA

CAVA is the category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand bringing together bold, healthful flavors and ingredients at scale. A founder-led company, CAVA is guided by the belief that food should taste as good as it makes you feel, and that great meals and warm Mediterranean hospitality go hand in hand. Across ~500 restaurants in 30 states and Washington, D.C., guests can choose from an abundant selection of chef-curated or build your own bowls and pitas to meet their dietary and taste preferences. There are more than 17 billion possible ingredient combinations, featuring a variety of proteins, vegetables, signature dips such as Crazy Feta®, house-made beverages, and more. Guided by its mission to bring heart, health, and humanity to food, CAVA provides meaningful career opportunities for more than 15,000 team members and continues to invest in its people and communities. Learn more at cava.com.

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