Julie Fussner is focused on improving speed, accuracy, and the digital experience, but says the culture of the brand will not change

Julie Fussner is well aware of the enormous shoes she needs to fill. She was recently named the new chief executive officer of Culver’s, becoming just the fifth person (and first woman) to serve in that role in the company’s 41-year-history. It’s a daunting task on its own, let alone for a brand with a cult following in the Midwest, fostered by its signature products such as ButterBurgers, Fresh Frozen Custard, and Wisconsin Cheese Curds.

Culver’s made-to-order model has also propelled the brand to consistently significant growth throughout the past several years. The company recently surpassed 1,000 locations and $3.8 billion in sales. In the past five years, the Wisconsin-based burger chain’s sales have jumped by 113%, according to Technomic data, breaking into the top 30 chains in the United States in 2024. Much of this growth is driven by strong unit economics — its $3.8 million average unit volumes are nearly double Wendy’s metrics and behind just McDonald’s, Whataburger, In-N-Out Burger, and Shake Shack in the intensely competitive burger category.

Fussner didn’t think she’d end up in this position. She studied human resources in college, but “nobody would hire me,” she said during a recent interview. So, she took a sales position with Philip Morris while studying for a master’s degree in marketing. She got her first marketing job at Conagra Foods, then moved over to Kraft, where she spent 10 years learning various roles.

“It was the greatest training ground ever. A lot of time was spent with Oscar Meyer (division) helping me build my skillset. There are different consumer challenges — bacon had no money to spend, but cold cuts did, so I had to get creative with how we approached marketing,” Fussner said.

She was starting a family at the time and didn’t want to move to Chicago, so Fussner spent two years at American Family Insurance. The company, she said, had “huge budgets,” but insurance wasn’t her passion area. Coincidently, a vice president marketing role opened at Culver’s around that same time.

“It was a concern that I didn’t have restaurant experience, but I had so much manufacturing experience. I was able to build that parallel,” Fussner said.

She was hired at the chain at a time when marketing was rapidly changing with the onset of digital, delivery, loyalty programs, etc. Then-CEO Rick Silva recognized the expanding scope and named Fussner the company’s first-ever CMO in early 2023.

“That was my dream job,” Fussner said. “Then he announced his retirement. I had mixed emotions because I loved working for him and loved the level of sophistication he brought to the company. I am grateful I was able to learn from him for four years.”

As part of Silva’s leadership team, Fussner helped formulate a new world of systems and processes for the family-owned company and worked alongside him on building strategic priorities. She thought that was enough to at least throw her hat in the ring when the CEO position opened up.

“Plus, the benefit of having an internal candidate is that culture matters so much here,” Fussner said. “Our relationship with operators is paramount. The only reason we have jobs is to help them be successful. We live that.”

Fussner’s priorities as CEO

Turns out, she was right about culture mattering. Fussner was named CEO last month. In a statement, co-founder (and former CEO) Craig Culver said she emerged as the “clear choice to lead the organization into the next chapter,” bringing “visionary thinking, business expertise, and an authentic leadership style. Just as valuable, though, is how effortlessly Julie builds Culver’s culture. She innately understands and shares the values that define us: Midwest hospitality and an appreciation for people.”

She’s still getting her feet wet in the role, but she does know that one of her biggest priorities is continuing to drive profits at restaurants.

“I will not let that part slip. We don’t care how many restaurants we open. We care how many successful restaurants we open,” she said.

To continue to make progress here, Culver’s is focusing on training and better speed and accuracy metrics, particularly at the drive-thru, where the company has been conducting mystery shops.

“We’re made-to-order. We’ll never be fast. But we need to be less slow,” Fussner said. “We also have a complex menu, so accuracy can be a challenge for us. We’re relatively high priced relative to our competitors, so we need to have consistently exceptional experiences across the brand.”

Culver’s has started conducting mystery shop visits at the drive-thru. Fussner said there have been about 10,000 such visits, allowing the company to see what is working and what is not.

“We’re starting to see improvement,” she said.

Beyond operations, the company also plans to enhance the menu and digital experiences. In mid-June, for instance, Culver’s will introduce a complete renovation of its chicken line, including sandwiches, while a soft launch of a new loyalty program is expected by the end of this year.

The final priority is winning in new or low penetration markets as the company continues to grow. Culver’s is about 40% bigger than it was just five years ago, for instance, and is getting more sophisticated at local marketing and building awareness — making sure new customers know why ButterBurgers and Cheese Curds are special, she said.

“We have so much opportunity and winning immediately in new markets is what will keep us growing,” Fussner said. “We will also never forget the foundation of the markets where we are already strong. We’ve become better at segmenting markets and understanding needs.”

It’s clear that Fussner’s wheels are spinning on how to take this brand to even greater heights. But she also makes it a point to note that nothing will change foundationally — “the heart of the brand does not change.”

“It is my job to package all this information so everyone can align,” Fussner said. “There is a lot we could be thinking about, but we need to all be focused on the same things and marching in the same direction.”

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

Source https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/culver-s-new-ceo-outlines-her-priorities-for-the-fast-growing-brand

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