WOWorks Names New Growth and Operations Chiefs

WOWorks has named James Walker its chief growth officer and promoted Nolan Woods to chief operations officer. The multi-brand parent runs Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, Barberitos, and Zoup! Eatery. The two roles split a single goal, signing more franchisees and making the ones already in the system perform.

Recruitment and Operations, Split on Purpose

Walker comes from senior roles at Subway, Nathan's Famous, Baja Fresh, and Cinnabon, where he ran franchise sales and market expansion. Woods rose inside WOWorks as both an operator and a franchisee. Splitting growth from operations lets one executive chase new deals while the other protects unit economics, which matters because aggressive recruitment without operational support is how multi-brand platforms end up with weak stores.

Why Platform Leadership Moves Matter

WOWorks sells six concepts to franchisees, so one growth strategy has to work across salads, bowls, Mediterranean, and Greek formats. A franchisee evaluating any single brand is really betting on the platform's ability to support it. Leadership focused on recruitment and operations signals where the company will spend its attention, and that shapes the support a franchisee can expect.

The Operator Takeaway

For owners already inside WOWorks brands, a dedicated operations chief who has run units himself is the more meaningful change, because franchisee-side experience tends to produce training and field support that match real store conditions. For prospective buyers, the recruitment push means more competition for territories and faster deal timelines.