--- title: "Cafe Rio Appoints Adam Klaers COO and Julie Boyster CBO" url: https://burnaze.com/article/d49c5c6e-4c9d-46d6-9de5-df1a4d0c2f91 source: "QSR Magazine" original_url: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/cafe-rio-appoints-adam-klaers-coo-and-julie-boyster-cbo/ author: "Danny Klein" category: "Restaurants" industry: "Restaurants" topics: ["People"] published: 2026-10-26T17:06:05.000Z modified: 2026-10-31T13:15:44.993Z image: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/CafeRio.jpg --- # Cafe Rio Appoints Adam Klaers COO and Julie Boyster CBO **TL;DR:** Cafe Rio appoints Adam Klaers COO and promotes Julie Boyster to chief brand officer *By Danny Klein, originally published in QSR Magazine on 2026-10-26. [Read the original](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/cafe-rio-appoints-adam-klaers-coo-and-julie-boyster-cbo/).* ## Story Cafe Rio Fresh Modern Mexican announced the appointment of Adam Klaers as Chief Operating Officer and the promotion of Julie Boyster to Chief Brand Officer, strengthening the brand’s leadership team as it continues its next chapter of growth. Klaers brings more than 25 years of restaurant leadership experience, including leadership roles with Roy Rogers, CAVA and Chipotle. Throughout his career, he has helped lead large, multi-unit organizations through growth, transformation and operational change, with a focus on developing strong restaurant leaders, improving operational consistency and implementing scalable systems that drive performance. “I’m excited to join a brand with such a strong foundation and passionate guest following,” said Adam Klaers, Chief Operating Officer of Cafe Rio. “Our focus is on building great leaders, strengthening our teams and creating the operational consistency that allows us to deliver an exceptional Cafe Rio experience every day.” As Chief Operating Officer, Klaers will oversee Cafe Rio’s restaurant operations, with a focus on developing and empowering field leaders, strengthening training and accountability, improving food quality and consistency, and elevating the guest experience. Boyster has been promoted to Chief Brand Officer, expanding her leadership across Marketing, Digital and Information Technology. She brings extensive experience leading brand transformation, digital growth, customer engagement and product strategy. Since joining Cafe Rio, Boyster has already played a key role in telling the brand’s comeback story and reengaging guests, helping bring renewed energy and relevance to the brand through initiatives including the Utah Handheld Burrito, Cafe Rio’s partnership with the Utah Mammoth, and a mix of new and returning menu items such as Double Dip Fries and the Blueberry Mojito Mocktail. “Cafe Rio has something incredibly special. We’re a brand built on bold flavors, fresh food, and passionate fans,” said Julie Boyster, Chief Brand Officer of Cafe Rio. “I’m thrilled to bring my experience to the team, building on what guests already love while creating new reasons to fall in love with Cafe Rio all over again. There’s tremendous opportunity ahead, and I can’t wait to help shape what comes next.” Prior to joining Cafe Rio, Boyster served as Chief Marketing Officer of LifeVantage, where she helped lead a multi-year business and brand transformation that returned the company to double-digit growth. Earlier in her career, she worked on the agency side advising brands across hospitality, health and wellness, beauty, retail and technology. In her new role, Boyster will focus on strengthening Cafe Rio’s brand and culinary story, deepening guest loyalty and engagement, and bringing together digital and technology to create a more connected guest experience. “Adam and Julie each bring a unique combination of leadership, expertise and a deep understanding of what it takes to build a strong, differentiated brand,” said Mike Burns, Chief Executive Officer of Cafe Rio. “Adam’s operational leadership will help strengthen our foundation and empower our restaurant teams, while Julie’s brand expertise will help us deepen our connection with guests and bring Cafe Rio into its next chapter. Together, they will play an important role in positioning Cafe Rio for long-term growth.” Klaers and Boyster’s appointments come on the heels of Mike Burns joining Cafe Rio as Chief Executive Officer earlier this year. Together, the additions reflect Burns’ focus on strengthening the brand from the inside out — returning to the food, quality and guest experience that built Cafe Rio’s loyal following, while bringing renewed energy to the brand and positioning it for sustainable long-term growth. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Cafe Rio has grown to nearly 150 restaurants across 11 states and is known for its made-from-scratch recipes, fresh ingredients and bold Mexican flavors. The brand partnered with private equity firm Freeman Spogli in 2017. ## Entities - QSR (sector) - QSR Magazine (publication) - private equity (topic) - restaurant operations (topic) - leadership team (topic) - Danny Klein (person) - brand transformation (topic) - Freeman Spogli (investor) - Mike Burns (person) - Cafe Rio (company) - Adam Klaers (person) - Julie Boyster (person) --- Originally reported by Danny Klein, QSR Magazine (https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/cafe-rio-appoints-adam-klaers-coo-and-julie-boyster-cbo/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/d49c5c6e-4c9d-46d6-9de5-df1a4d0c2f91).