Vicious Biscuit expands leadership for franchise growth

Vicious Biscuit has hired Mike Stevens as chief development officer and director of supply chain. The Charleston-founded company also promoted Kate Byrd to franchise liaison, two moves the company says strengthens its leadership team as they accelerate national franchise growth.
Stevens will lead Vicious Biscuit’s franchise development strategy and oversee supply chain initiatives, aligning expansion with operational discipline and long-term scalability.

“Mike is exactly the kind of leader we need at this stage of our growth,” George McLaughlin, co-founder and CEO of Vicious Biscuit, said in a news release “He’s built and scaled brands at a high level, understands the complexity of franchise development and brings deep expertise in supply chain. Just as importantly, he believes in what we’re building and shares our commitment to growing the right way. He’s going to play a key role in helping us scale while protecting what makes Vicious Biscuit so special.”

A restaurant veteran with more than 30 years of experience, Stevens has experience across operations, franchise development and supply chain strategy. He has held executive leadership roles with emerging and established brands, where he built scalable systems and supported rapid multi-unit growth, the release stated. At Vicious Biscuit, his focus is on franchise sales strategy, pipeline development and franchisee lifecycle support, while leading efforts to optimize sourcing, distribution and cost efficiencies across the system.

Most recently, he served as senior business development director at Buyers Edge Platform/Consolidated Concepts, working with restaurant brands to strengthen supply chain performance and long-term profitability. He previously held leadership roles with Shamrock Foods, Pita Jungle and Tilted Kilt, where he helped expand to more than 100 locations in less than six years.

“I’ve spent my career helping brands grow, but what drew me to Vicious Biscuit is the strength of the concept and the foundation already in place,” Stevens said in the release. “This is a brand that knows exactly who it is, with strong unit economics and a team that executes. I’m excited to help build a disciplined development strategy and supply chain system that supports long-term success.”
Kate Byrd is rising within the company. She was promoted from office manager to franchise liaison, a role focused on supporting franchise partners throughout the development lifecycle, according to the company.

She will serve as a key point of contact for franchisees, guiding onboarding, site development, training and openings while supporting coordination across internal teams. Byrd has played a central role in managing the company’s growing franchise pipeline and supporting on-time openings across markets, the release said.

“Kate has consistently stepped up in moments that matter for our franchisees and our corporate team,” said Amanda Kahalehoe, chief operating officer of Vicious Biscuit. “She brings a level of ownership, organization and care that directly impacts our operators’ success. As we scale, having someone in this role who can create clarity, keep projects moving and support franchisees with confidence is critical, and Kate has already proven she can do that at a high level.”

These leadership moves build on the company’s recent promotion of Mike Ball to vice president of franchise operations, creating a dedicated structure across development, operations and franchise support.

Vicious Biscuit currently has more than 40 signed franchise locations in development, with a goal of 50 to 75 units over the next five years.