Alonso Castaneda is VP of Brand Development & Strategy at Savory Restaurant Fund, an arm of Mercato Partners that focuses on delivering outsized returns through strategic growth and replication strategies.  He leads the strategic oversight of brand initiatives, brand campaigns and implementation of customer facing systems that enhance the experience for their fast-growing consumer-facing brands.  During his career he has specialized in taking fast casual and polished casual food and beverage concepts and scaling them into 50-unit+ powerhouse brands. Previously, Alonso has been in restaurant operation where he quickly found his niche in scaling brands.  He first joined Qdoba at 7 units, was part of a rebranding and national expansion that lead to the sale to Jack in the box.  Later he joined Paradise Bakery & Cafe at 11 units, where he was part of the growth over the west coast that lead to the acquisition from Panera Bread.  Finally, before joining Savory he spend a few years with Café Rio Mexican Grill, winner of the number one Quick Serve Mexican Restaurant in the Nation, three years in a row. Where he helped develop the brand from 14 units to 100+ across multiple states before selling to private equity firm Freeman Spogli. Alonso helps drive revenue growth through a combination of digital and grassroots marketing, social media techniques, off-premise strategy, and operational BOH & FOH efficiencies proven over a multi-brand, and 20+ year career in restaurant Operations.  He brings systems and methods that provide a frictionless experience for the restaurant industry’s ever changing and demanding consumer.