MBI Brands Taps New President to Steer Global Growth

TORONTO, ON – April 08, 2026 – MBI Brands (MBIB), the parent company behind Canadian QSR staples Mary Brown's Chicken and Fat Bastard Burrito, has appointed Karen Tam as its new President. The move signals a strategic acceleration of the company’s ambitious growth plans, placing a seasoned financial and operational leader at the helm to steer both domestic expansion and a complex international push.

Tam, who has served as the company's Chief Financial Officer and Chief Development Officer since July 2025, now assumes full responsibility for the strategic direction and daily operations across the entire MBIB portfolio. Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the company as it seeks to scale its brands into new global markets while reinforcing its commitment to operational excellence and customer experience.

A New Architect for Growth

With over two decades of senior leadership experience, Karen Tam brings a formidable blend of financial rigor and operational discipline to the presidency. Her tenure as CFO and CDO has already been marked by significant contributions to strengthening the company’s infrastructure and franchise operating models. This background is seen as critical for executing MBI Brands' long-term growth strategy.

"Karen's contribution to MBI Brands has been transformative," said Gregory Roberts, CEO and Owner of MBI Brands, in a statement. "Her ability to navigate complex global markets while maintaining a deep commitment to our Canadian franchisees and guests makes her the natural choice for President. She is a disciplined leader who understands that our growth is built on a foundation of operational excellence and community trust."

Before joining MBI Brands, Tam honed her expertise in the hospitality franchising model as CFO and Corporate Secretary at Choice Hotels Canada. Her impressive career also includes senior roles at prestigious global companies like Four Seasons Hotels, as well as positions at Telus Health and the Global Risk Institute, following early career experience with KPMG LLP. This diverse background provides her with a unique perspective on managing brand integrity, financial performance, and franchise relations on a large scale. As a CPA, CA, and CFA charter holder, her leadership is expected to bring a data-driven and financially sound approach to the company's expansion efforts.

Canadian Chicken Takes the World Stage

A central part of Tam's mandate will be to oversee the continued international expansion of Mary Brown's Chicken. The brand, a beloved Canadian institution founded in Newfoundland in 1969, embarked on its global journey in 2024, a strategic move aimed at transforming the 100% Canadian-owned company into a worldwide player.

The company has set an ambitious goal of opening 150 international locations within the next five years. Initial progress has been swift. In the United Kingdom, a flagship location opened in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, in early 2024, with several more restaurants scheduled to open across England and Scotland in 2025. Uniquely, MBI Brands is acting as the direct franchisor in the UK, a strategy designed to maintain tight control over brand standards and product quality.

In India, the brand launched with a premium positioning, opening its first outlet in Chandigarh in April 2025, followed quickly by a drive-thru. The strategy for the subcontinent includes opening one new location per month, with a long-term vision for over 100 restaurants. Similarly, Pakistan saw its first two Mary Brown's locations open in Lahore in 2025, with further expansion planned. In Mexico, the company is targeting the Yucatan Peninsula with multiple drive-thru locations. This multi-continent strategy requires navigating distinct consumer tastes and regulatory environments, a challenge for which Tam's global experience is considered a key asset.

Strengthening the Core at Home

While international growth is a clear priority, MBI Brands remains focused on bolstering its dominant position within Canada's highly competitive $37 billion QSR market. Mary Brown's Chicken, which already boasts over 290 locations and an incredible 19 consecutive years of same-store sales growth, has a domestic target of 500 restaurants in the next five years. This includes a significant push into the Quebec market.

Simultaneously, Tam will lead the continued integration and expansion of Fat Bastard Burrito. Acquired by MBIB in 2022, the burrito chain has a strong foothold in its market segment and is poised for significant growth, with plans for over 20 new locations in 2025 alone. This dual-brand strategy allows MBIB to compete across multiple QSR categories, from fried chicken against giants like KFC and Popeyes, to the fast-casual burrito space occupied by competitors such as Chipotle and BarBurrito.

"I am incredibly honoured to take on this role at such an exciting time for our company," Tam stated. "This is a company built on strong partnerships with franchisees and a clear sense of identity as a Canadian brand."

The Digital and Operational Edge

Underpinning the company's growth ambitions is a dual focus on digital transformation and uncompromising operational fundamentals. Tam is tasked with advancing the company's digital initiatives, which have already become a cornerstone of the customer experience. Both Mary Brown's and Fat Bastard Burrito have launched successful mobile apps that offer order-ahead functionality, loyalty programs, and exclusive deals, catering to the modern consumer's demand for convenience and value.

This digital push is paired with a deep-rooted commitment to what the company calls "operational excellence." For Mary Brown's, this translates to its "Made Fresh from Scratch" promise. Unlike many competitors, the brand's signature chicken and Taters are hand-cut and hand-breaded in-store daily from fresh, Canadian-sourced ingredients. This commitment to quality, combined with proprietary cooking technology, has been a key differentiator and a driver of its long-standing success and numerous industry awards, including 15 straight years of the Canadian Franchise Association's Franchisees' Choice Designation.

As President, Tam's focus will be on execution and alignment, ensuring that as the brands scale globally, this foundation of quality is not compromised. Her stated goal is to empower teams and franchisees to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience while innovating store formats and menu offerings to meet the demands of a changing global marketplace.