Boston's Pizza names Sergio Carvallo as US president

Boston's Pizza has named Sergio Carvallo as Boston's Pizza US president, tasking him with reviving a division that has shrunk to 20 locations from close to 50 in 2010.

Carvallo joined the Edmonton-founded chain more than a decade ago and opened its Mexico City office in 2015, growing that market to 28 restaurants. Before Boston's Pizza, he spent more than 30 years across Nestlé, Cuervo, Laureate and Yum Brands.

Founded in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1964, Boston's Pizza opened its first US restaurant in Tempe, Arizona, in 1998. Jim Treliving, who bought the chain with George Melville in 1983, became sole owner in 2017; the company is now based in Dallas.

By modernizing existing restaurants, we can build on the success we've achieved elsewhere.

A shrinking American footprint

US unit counts have fallen steadily from their 2010 peak, even as the brand expanded elsewhere: Boston's Pizza now operates in 16 countries with more than 580 restaurants system-wide, making its American underperformance increasingly conspicuous to franchise partners.

Carvallo's mandate covers modernising existing restaurants, strengthening franchisee profitability, and building community engagement initiatives rather than opening large numbers of new sites immediately.

"Our two-experiences-under-one-roof concept is highly relevant and versatile. By modernizing existing restaurants and clearly communicating our value proposition, we can build on the success we've achieved in other markets," Carvallo said.

Betting on a proven operator

Boston's Pizza combines a full-service dining room with a sports bar under one roof, a format the company argues gives franchisees flexibility that single-concept rivals lack, particularly in suburban US markets.

Yugo Tago, group chief executive of parent company Hot Palette Holdings Group, said Carvallo's leadership had already proven itself: "Pepper Lunch would not be where it is in the United States today without Troy's leadership, commitment and belief in the brand," he added, referring to a separate executive change at the Japanese teppanyaki chain this week.

Mark Bailey continues as chief operating officer alongside Carvallo, who takes up the role immediately. The company has not set a timeline for returning US unit counts to their 2010 level, saying growth will follow only once existing franchisees are profitable again.