Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart is the newest board member of fast-casual chain BurgerFi, the company announced Thursday.
Stewart, who the newly-public burger chain called the “original influencer,” will head the board’s Product & Innovation Committee and will collaborate with BurgerFi Chef Paul Griffin, the company said.
Apparently, Stewart has been a fan of BurgerFi, largely because of its commitment to antibiotic-free beef and other high-quality ingredients, she said.
“BurgerFi’s chef-driven concept attracted me to the brand,” she said in a statement. “I am looking forward to being a part of the BurgerFi family and watching the brand amass its true potential. The BurgerFi VegeFi burger is made with 15 of the freshest vegetables and ingredients and made right in their newly expanded commissary in Palm Beach. It’s as if the vegetables were picked right from my own garden!”
Stewart, a figure in lifestyle media, retailing and entertainment for decades, brings a marquee name to BurgerFi’s board. Stewart founded multi-channel lifestyle company Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in 1997. She has launched a wide variety of brands during her career and has won 18 Emmys for her TV-hosting work.
“As a pioneer in the world of culinary consumerism, Martha stands out as a leader who has the unique ability to connect with an audience,” Ophir Sternberg, BurgerFi’s executive chairman, said in a statement. “We look forward to her contributions and creative ideas that will enhance the BurgerFi business and brand.”
It has been a busy few months for BurgerFi, which went public late last year after being acquired by Opes Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. The better-burger brand, which recently hired a COO, said it intends to open up to 35 new units this year and 40 to 45 new restaurants in 2022.
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