Julio Sánchez: Pollo Campero's Culinary Renaissance in America

Pollo Campero is entering its next phase of U.S. growth with Julio Sánchez as Chief Executive Officer of its American business. Effective October 19, 2026, the appointment brings a restaurant industry veteran into the top role as the Guatemalan-born fried and roasted chicken chain continues expanding beyond 150 U.S. restaurants. Sánchez succeeds an outgoing leader whose tenure helped shape the brand’s domestic development.

Sánchez brings more than 25 years of experience across restaurant operations, franchising, development and business transformation. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer of CKE International, the parent company associated with Carl’s Jr. His previous leadership experience also includes Pizza Hut, Burger King and Church’s Chicken, giving him exposure to different restaurant models and expansion strategies across North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.

His immediate priorities include improving operational excellence, accelerating same-store sales growth, increasing brand awareness and elevating the guest experience. Sánchez is known for a hands-on leadership approach that keeps him close to restaurant teams, franchise partners and customers. The focus will be on translating the brand’s established identity and hospitality into a consistent experience as it reaches more U.S. communities.

The appointment also marks a transition after Luis Javier Rodas concluded nearly 26 years with parent company Corporación Multi Inversiones, or CMI, on October 16. Rodas contributed to Pollo Campero’s growth in the United States, where the chain has built a footprint of more than 150 restaurants. José Gregorio Baquero, global CEO of CMI Foods, said Sánchez combines operational expertise with sound business judgment and a record of delivering results.

As restaurant networks grow, maintaining consistency across locations becomes an increasingly important operational challenge. Gorilla Dash includes a Knowledge Base feature that helps franchise teams centralize operating procedures, guidance and other essential information for access across their network. A structured resource can support communication between franchise leadership and local teams as brands work to maintain standards while expanding.

Founded in Guatemala in 1971, Pollo Campero operates more than 400 restaurants across the United States and several Latin American markets. Sánchez’s challenge is to build on that foundation while improving performance at existing U.S. locations and strengthening the guest experience. His industry experience gives him a broad operating background, but the next phase will ultimately be measured by how effectively the brand converts its growth ambitions into sustained results.