We’re excited to share some big news from the Grain & Berry home office: we’ve hired Shay Baumhauer as our new Director of Marketing.
As Grain & Berry continues to grow across the country, we’re committed to staying true to our mission—building healthy communities by offering farm fresh delicious food in a warm and friendly setting—while giving our franchisees the tools they need to thrive in every market.
Shay joins us with more than a decade of restaurant and franchise marketing experience and a proven track record of helping brands grow sales, sharpen their positioning, and support local operators in meaningful, measurable ways.
A Strong Background in Franchise & Restaurant Growth
Most recently, Shay served as Sr. Director of Marketing for WOWorks, the parent company of brands such as Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Med Fresh, Zoup! Eatery, Barberitos, and The Simple Greek. In that role she:
SHAY RESUME
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Led national brand strategy across multiple restaurant concepts, including menu innovation, LTO (limited-time offer) strategy, digital and media planning, and budget management
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Developed and launched local restaurant marketing programs for 300+ franchise locations, delivering an average 12% lift in sales and traffic for at‑risk stores
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Spearheaded major rebrand and conversion initiatives that drove 5–8% systemwide comparable sales increases
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Built comprehensive New Restaurant Opening marketing plans designed to set franchisees up for long‑term success
Prior to WOWorks, Shay led marketing efforts for a portfolio of 18 wine, spirits, non‑profit, and CBD brands at IBG Wines & Ellipse Analytics, and previously drove strategy for multiple restaurant concepts at EPIQ Restaurant Brands and First Watch/The Egg & I.
Across these roles, she has consistently translated executive growth goals into practical, field-ready marketing programs—exactly the kind of experience that will help our Grain & Berry franchisees grow traffic, awareness, and sales.
Why Shay Is a Great Fit for Grain & Berry
At Grain & Berry, our vision is to become the nation’s most successful healthy fast casual restaurant chain, known for superior customer service. We measure success not only in revenue, but also in guest satisfaction, franchisee support, and the impact we have on our communities.
Shay’s background aligns perfectly with our:
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Core values of genuine hospitality and nurture – She has built local marketing programs that empower teams inside the four walls, strengthening relationships with guests and communities.
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Focus on franchisee success – Her experience developing training, toolkits, and playbooks for hundreds of franchise locations will be instrumental as we support existing owners and attract new ones.
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Growth goals – With ambitions to scale our franchise system nationwide, we need data‑driven marketing leadership that understands both national brand building and local market realities.
What This Means for Franchisees & Future Owners
For our current franchise partners, Shay’s experience means more structure, support, and strategic guidance in your marketing:
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Clearer marketing calendars and campaign plans
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Stronger LTO launches and menu storytelling
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Practical local marketing strategies tailored to your market
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Better alignment between in‑store execution and digital efforts
For prospective franchisees, it’s another signal that Grain & Berry is investing heavily in the systems, people, and support you need to build a successful business. As we pursue our expansion goals across multiple states, world‑class marketing leadership will be a key driver of long‑term value for the brand and our franchise community.
We’re thrilled to welcome Shay to the Grain & Berry family and can’t wait for you to see her impact in your local restaurant and across our entire system.
Stay tuned—over the coming months, we’ll share more about new campaigns, tools, and programs coming from our marketing team to support both our guests and our franchise partners.