Burgerville Partners to Grow

Burgerville to partner with local investors to grow its focus on fresh, local and sustainable food

The deal will help Burgerville open new restaurants in the PNW

Vancouver Wash.– Looking to share its commitment to fresh, local, sustainable – and delicious – food with even more of the Pacific Northwest, hometown favorite Burgerville is partnering with a local group of investors. The deal is expected to close on Monday.

The Mears family, founders of the brand, will remain shareholders. The group of local investors will take an ownership stake. The partnership includes Ed Casey, CEO of Burgerville; and Joth Ricci, former CEO of Dutch Bros. The partnership comes as part of a planned and multi-year strategy of thoughtful growth for Burgerville.

“Burgerville’s mission has always been to serve our local communities with love, and in recent years, our strategy has been to prepare to grow across the Northwest,” Casey said. “To do that, the Mears family and I wanted to team up with local partners who share our values and vision for Burgerville – and that’s just what we found.”

Casey will continue as CEO, and the rest of the current management team will remain in place. In addition, Ricci, who has significant experience in branding and growth, will join the team as Executive Chairman.

“Burgerville was a pioneer in sustainability and local long before those were industry buzzwords,” Ricci said. “I’m excited to be able to play a role in the next leg of the Burgerville journey.”

Burgerville operates 39 company-owned restaurants throughout Oregon and Washington, with a 40th slated to open this year in Wilsonville. In the coming year, the company plans to open restaurants in Salem and Keizer, followed by expansion north and east of its store in Centralia, Washington. The chain has at least six more restaurants and as many as 10 planned over the next year in the Pacific Northwest.

Casey, who joined the chain two years ago, said the company’s plans for growth come at a time of strength thanks to operational adjustments made in recent years. These changes, driven by Burgerville’s commitment to quality and supporting local producers, have contributed to an increase in sales over the past two years. The company is on track to grow sales again this year.

Burgerville and its investors are committed to supporting employees, vendors and local communities across the footprint.

“The new investor group has deep ties to the Pacific Northwest and is committed to Burgerville’s mission of sustainability and premium quality,” Casey said. “Their commitment to the company and its values will ensure that Burgerville will remain the local, community-focused favorite that it’s always been.”