The Story Behind Toastique’s Franchise Growth
From a D1 Athlete’s Kitchen to a Coast-to-Coast Café Brand
Toastique was born from founder Brianna Keefe’s passion for wholesome, beautiful food and a desire to make healthy eating approachable. In 2018, she teamed up with construction expert Kyle Izett to open the first location in Washington, D.C.’s Wharf District, where locals quickly embraced the vibrant menu and elevated café experience.
Just a few years later, Toastique has grown from a single café to 97 Franchise Partners, with Over 226 Awarded Franchise Agreements and the 100th location on the horizon. Guided by a mission-first mindset, premium presentation, and proven systems, we’re building a brand designed to scale while staying true to our values.
Brianna Keefe
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Toastique's Founder and CEO, Brianna Keefe, leads with purpose and passion, setting the tone for a vibrant, people-first culture while focusing on growth, strategic vision, and long-term franchisee success. From overseeing national expansion and refining operations systems to collaborating with franchise partners and guiding brand strategy, her leadership, passion for wellness, and commitment to operational excellence make her an invaluable resource to the Toastique franchise community.
Kyle Izett
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO of Toastique, Kyle Izett leads, manages, and oversees all functional areas of the organization. He is responsible for setting the strategic direction and driving sustainable growth across all facets of the business for continued expansion and success. Kyle oversees all financial reporting and analysis, managing the company’s financial health, including budgeting, cash flow management, and resource allocation, to ensure financial stability and profitability.
Sean Keefe
Chief Franchise Operations Officer
Sean supports all of Toastique’s restaurant franchise operations which include management and training employees, inventory, and overall financial growth. He trains new Franchise Owners with hands-on activities and supports Toastique’s healthy lifestyle mission inside and outside the organization.
Sundi Ford
President and Chief Operations Officer
As President and Chief Operations Officer, Sundi leads Toastique’s operational strategy, ensuring a consistent, high-quality experience across all locations. With over 12 years of experience in franchising, she has supported and built the operational infrastructure needed to scale growing brands. She drives alignment across departments, translating company vision into clear execution at every level of the business. Sundi focuses on operational excellence, scalability, and efficiency, ensuring systems, processes, and teams are optimized to support continued growth.
Linton Dowling
Chief Development Officer
As Chief Development Officer, Linton oversees franchise development, sales, and marketing to drive strategic expansion across the brand. Linton plays a critical role in aligning marketing and sales efforts, strengthening collaboration to create a more seamless and effective franchise development funnel. With a data-driven and performance-focused approach, Linton ensures Toastique's marketing and development strategies work hand-in-hand to fuel the strength of the brand.
Alison Mey
VP of Franchise Operations
Alison supports long-term franchisee success through operations and financial support. She oversees franchisee growth and maintenance strategies ranging from enhancing guest experience, creating standard operating procedures and best practices and maximizing sales and franchisee profitability. Alison has 10+ years of experience in the Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) industry.
Nicole Valentin
Director of Strategy & Development
Nicole oversees Toastique’s branding identity and ensures corporate branding standards are maintained from pre-construction through store operations. Nicole works with the Marketing and IT Managers to maintain brand consistency across all touchpoints and platforms.
Kelsey Forman
Director of Training
Kelsey oversees the design, execution, and continuous improvement of Toastique’s franchise training program. Alongside her team of trainers from diverse backgrounds in the hospitality industry, she ensures that franchise partners are fully prepared to operate their locations successfully, lead their teams confidently, and uphold Toastique’s brand standards from day one. Kelsey is extremely passionate about training, brand consistency, and supporting our franchisee partners.
Yvis Manrique
Director of Field Operations
Yvis has 15 years of experience in operations, HR, and training. She is passionate about aligning training with business goals, driving success through people development and outstanding guest experiences.
Jolie Richards
Director of Marketing
Jolie supports developing and implementing brand-level marketing strategies that drive growth, increase brand awareness, and build customer loyalty that reflect the brand’s vibrant, health-forward identity. She supports franchisees with localized marketing tools and guidance needed to thrive in their local markets and foster community engagement.
Morissa Goodman
Development Director
As Development Director, Morissa leads franchise growth and strategic expansion at Toastique. She oversees the discovery process, vets candidates, and guides qualified entrepreneurs toward successful ownership. Drawing on her experience as a Senior Relationship Manager at a premier franchise sales organization, Morissa has built strong relationships across the industry's leading consultant networks and a proven track record of driving multi-brand growth.
Jake De La Torre
Director of Franchise Development
As Director of Franchise Development, Jake leads franchise growth and strategic expansion at Toastique. He guides candidates through the discovery process, vets qualified prospects, and supports them on the path to ownership. Drawing on his background in real estate and development, Jake brings a relationship-driven and data-informed approach to expanding Toastique’s franchise footprint.
Tristen Smith
Senior Project Manager
Tristen supports franchisees before they open, ensuring they meet Toastique brand standards and stay on track. She coordinates vendor connections and success steps. Tristen has 2+ years in project management and 5 years in business development.
Ricardo Delgado
Senior Construction Project Manager
Ricardo supports franchisees with Toastique's development and construction. He uses his keen eye for detail and experience to guide them through the build-out process. Drawing on 5+ years in interior design and construction, he ensures each location is delivered to the highest standards
Forrest King
Business Analyst
Forrest leads the development of centralized reporting, bringing together POS, loyalty, and financial data into one unified platform. He builds real-time dashboards that provide visibility into sales, costs, and performance across all locations, supporting both franchisees and internal teams with data-driven insights. By analyzing performance, Forrest helps identify trends and opportunities to improve operations and profitability.
Kelley Gosk
Event Manager
Kelley manages and coordinates catering, partnerships, and collaborations to drive engagement within the community. She implements strategies that support franchisees in growing their catering business, while also developing initiatives that strengthen brand presence and foster lasting relationships with clients.
Bethan Townsend
Project Coordinator
As Systems & Integrations Manager, Bethan oversees Toastique’s technology ecosystem. She manages the brand’s technology stack, driving seamless integration across platforms to create a cohesive and efficient digital infrastructure. From POS and online ordering to third-party integrations and internal tools, she ensures every location is equipped with the technology needed to operate effectively.
Gabrielle Farrell
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Gabrielle helps develop and execute digital marketing strategies to elevate Toastique’s brand presence. She manages social media strategy, paid advertising, and analyzes performance metrics to drive impactful campaigns. She works closely with franchisees to support their marketing efforts while creating a strong connection with Toastique’s online community.
Katherine Orellana
Influencer and Community Coordinator
Katherine brings hands-on experience in influencer partnerships, social media strategy, and community outreach, with proven success driving engagement, boosting brand visibility, and fostering lasting partnerships. Skilled in content creation, campaign execution, and community awareness, Katherine blends creative storytelling with data-driven insights to build strong brand communities.
Haley Nedelka
Lead Corporate Trainer
Haley's role focuses on partnering with franchisees to provide comprehensive training and support. Haley equips franchisees with the necessary tools and knowledge to successfully manage and operate their business, ensuring they maintain the high standards and exceptional customer experience that Toastique is known for.
Jenna Bernfeld
Corporate Trainer
Jenna trains franchisees on all aspects of operations to prepare for opening their store and beyond. Jenna has ten years of training and leadership experience in food service and hospitality, and previously owned and operated a luxury day spa.
Iryna Boyko
Corporate Trainer
Iryna brings over 9 years of experience in hospitality, operations management, and staff development. With a strong foundation in guest service and team leadership, she specializes in building high-performing teams that embody Toastique’s brand values and deliver standout customer experiences. Iryna holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Stockton University, where her research focused on crisis management and organizational culture in the restaurant industry.
Danelle Bannister
Corporate Trainer
Danelle is responsible for onboarding and training new franchisees and their teams, equipping them with the tools, systems, and operational knowledge needed to successfully launch and scale their business. With a strong background in multi-unit operations and team development, she helps lead training strategy and execution across franchise locations.
Alana Tenorio
Corporate Trainer
With over a decade of experience in hospitality spanning both fine dining and high-volume environments, Alana brings a well-rounded, operations-driven approach to team development at Toastique. In her role she is extremely hands on trainer who focuses on creating strong guest experiences while maintaining high standards.
Monny Dan
Culinary Director
As Toastique’s Culinary Director, Monny is the creative force behind our vibrant, health-forward menu. With a passion for whole ingredients and bold, balanced flavors, Monny helps leads the development of menu, ensuring each item not only looks beautiful but also fuels the body and delights the palate.
Celia Camacho
Social Media & Brand Strategist
Celia is a food and lifestyle photographer who specializes in visual direction, storytelling, and digital marketing for culinary brands. She has over 12 years of experience in advertising and digital marketing.
Kristina Crenshaw, AIA
Corporate Architect
Kristina, with 17/27 Design Studio, has been with Toastique since they opened their first location. She works with all Franchise Owners to establish the store layout and interior design so that it meets corporate operational and aesthetic standards.
