Freddy’s hires 2 development execs as it nears 600 units

Rafik Farouk will help the burger brand fill in existing markets and enter new ones, while Jackie Lobdell will work to recruit new operators.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has hired Rafik Farouk as vice president of business development and Jackie Lobdell as VP of franchise sales, according to a Monday press release.

The two executive appointments are intended to support Freddy’s store development as the chain nears the 600-store mark, per the press release.

Farouk brings significant restaurant development and operations experience, including stints at P.F. Chang’s, Bloomin’ Brands and Chili’s, according to his LinkedIn. He held roles specializing in developing international markets. At Freddy’s, Farouk will work to support growth in new markets and its ability to infill existing regions.

According to Freddy’s 2025 FDD, the brand’s storebase is heavily concentrated in the South and Southwest, particularly Texas, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arizona and Colorado. It also has regional presence in some Midwestern markets, and toeholds outside those regions. In 2024, Freddy’s launched a new training center in Kansas to help prepare future managers and franchisees for store openings.

Freddy’s opened its first Canadian location last year, according to a press release. Farouk’s experience in international growth should be of assistance for the chain.

Lobdell joined the chain after nearly eight years with Slim Chickens, according to her LinkedIn profile. She will be tasked primarily with identifying and recruiting new franchisees. Finding new operators will help Freddy’s increase and maintain its development cadence in the near future.

The chain was acquired by Rhône last year, in a deal intended to continue the growth begun under previous owners, Thompson Street Capital Partners. Freddy’s has made several other important moves since the Rhône acquisition. In February, the chain named its first chief information officer, Todd Paladini, to help it modernize its tech stack. Shortly thereafter, the chain announced new expansions in Canada, and, in April, it opened its first location on a U.S. military base.